stonecrandall Chapter 904 Both sides want to continue fighting!
Chapter 904 Both sides want to continue fighting!
The Chu cavalry in the front row were thrown to the ground, their horses frightened and unable to control themselves, disrupting the formation of the following troops. The once unstoppable cavalry charge was greatly weakened.
"Don't panic! Follow me and kill!" Seeing this, Yi Xiaochuan knew there was no way to retreat, so he had to bravely move forward. He personally led his personal guards and plunged into the Southern Border Army formation like a sharp knife.
The battle quickly intensified. The Chu cavalry, leveraging their superior offensive power, successfully cut the Southern Border Army into several sections. However, the Southern Border Army did not disband. Instead, they fought individually, forming circular formations to resist the cavalry's charge.
Gao Yao was at the thick of the action. He personally drew his sword to meet the enemy, his robe stained with blood—whether it was the enemy's or his own. Ying Bu followed closely at his side, wielding his long halberd with great vigor, striking down several Chu cavalrymen in quick succession.
"Your Majesty, this is not a solution!" Ying Bu shouted. "Our troops are divided and unable to support each other!"
Gao Yao parried a thrusting spear and struck the Chu cavalryman down with a counter-attack. "Order all battalions to gather towards the center! Heavy infantry, advance and open the passage!"
The battle reached a stalemate. Although the Chu cavalry was highly mobile, they were unable to make a difference against the tight defensive formation of the Southern Border Army. Meanwhile, although the Southern Border Army maintained a solid defense, they were surrounded and divided, making it difficult for them to organize an effective counterattack.
Yi Xiaochuan quickly discovered the problem. His original plan had been to quickly defeat the Southern Border Army, but the battle had reached a stalemate, which was extremely disadvantageous to the Chu Army. Cavalry was not suited to protracted warfare; once it lost its impact, it would become a target for the infantry.
"Aim at Gaoyao's royal flag!" Yi Xiaochuan decisively changed his strategy, "Concentrate our forces and attack the center!"
The Chu cavalry began to adjust their direction, launching wave after wave of attacks towards Gao Yao's position without regard for casualties. The pressure on the southern border troops suddenly increased, and the defensive circle continued to shrink.
At this moment, Gao Yao made an unexpected decision. Instead of retreating, he ordered Wang Qi to move forward and personally led a team of elite heavy infantry to launch a counterattack.
"If Xiang Yu wants my life, let him take it!" Gao Yao shouted, pointing the sword in his hand directly in the direction of Yi Xiaochuan.
This move greatly boosted the morale of the Southern Border Army. Seeing their commander's bravery, the soldiers of each camp fought back fiercely, gradually turning the tide of the battle.
Yi Xiaochuan saw this and knew that he wouldn't be able to achieve complete victory today. Gao Yao's tenacity far exceeded his expectations, and the Southern Border Army was also very well prepared. If they continued to fight, even if they could win, it would be at a heavy price.
The sun had risen completely, its rays piercing through the dust and smoke in the valley, illuminating the bloody battlefield. Both sides were exhausted and had suffered heavy casualties.
Yi Xiaochuan sighed, knowing that he had to make a decision: "Send the order, each unit takes turns to cover and slowly retreat."
The Chu army began to retreat in an orderly manner, and the Southern Border Army did not pursue them with all their strength - they also suffered heavy losses and needed to reorganize their troops.
When the last Chu cavalry retreated from the valley, thousands of corpses and countless wailing wounded were left on the battlefield. Blood stained the valley ground red, and broken weapons and battle flags were everywhere.
Gao Yao immediately stood in the center of the battlefield, his royal robe tattered and his armor scarred, but his gaze remained sharp. He looked around, his face solemn.
"Count the casualties and treat the injured." His voice was hoarse with fatigue, but still firm.
Ying Bu rode up, his face a mixture of grief and relief. "Your Majesty, the Chu army has retreated. Our army suffered over 4,000 casualties in this battle, and the Chu army's losses should be comparable."
Gao Yao nodded slightly: "There were wins and losses on both sides, and no one got the upper hand." He looked in the direction of the Chu army's retreat, with a complicated look in his eyes. What he didn't expect was that this time it was not Xiang Yu who set the ambush in advance, but Yi Xiaochuan. It seemed that Xiang Yu had not arrived yet, but he should be here soon.
Meanwhile, Yi Xiaochuan was also counting his losses. Of his thirty thousand cavalry, nearly five thousand had been killed or wounded, with even more severe losses of warhorses. This was a heavy blow to the Chu army.
"General, why don't you continue fighting?" Zhongli Mo asked unwillingly, "We still have a chance..."
Yi Xiaochuan shook his head. "Gao Yao was well prepared. Further battles are pointless. While this battle wasn't entirely successful, it inflicted heavy damage on the Southern Border Army, effectively slowing their advance." He gazed at the devastated battlefield and said softly, "Furthermore, we've already proven the power of the Chu cavalry. Gao Yao will undoubtedly reconsider the risks of continuing the advance."
Sunlight illuminated the valley completely. The morning breeze dispersed the smoke, but not the thick stench of blood. This dawn encounter ended with casualties on both sides, with neither side claiming a decisive victory. But for the entire war, this was only the beginning. Both commanders knew the next clash would soon arrive, and it would be even more brutal.
The setting sun stained the vast plains with a solemn golden crimson. Gao Yao stood atop a makeshift watchtower, his face as calm as water, watching the dust raised by the distant Chu cavalry slowly recede southward, like a tide temporarily subsiding its sharp edge. He felt no sense of relief, but instead a growing sense of solemnity.
"Pass the order down! Set up camp in a strategic location! Set up more antler barricades, dig trenches, and double the patrol posts! Provide immediate medical care for the wounded, count the casualties, and replenish arrows and logs!" Gao Yao's voice was calm and clear as he delivered each order. Despite the day's hard fighting, the Southern Border Army still demonstrated its elite nature. Officers at all levels followed orders, and the troops, though exhausted, remained focused and composed, quickly constructing defensive fortifications.
The camp was built on a gentle slope, backed by a shallow stream, making it easy to defend but difficult to attack. Gao Yao knew that Yi Xiaochuan's cavalry would come and go like the wind and would not give him much time to breathe. He had to use this camp as a rock to withstand the next wave of the Chu army.
Meanwhile, five miles away, the Chu cavalry had reined in their horses. Yi Xiaochuan halted his horse on a hillock, gazing intently at the gradually forming outlines of the southern border army's camp. He removed his blood- and dust-stained helmet, revealing a resolute, youthful face, dusty and exhausted, yet unable to conceal the sharp spirit beneath.
Yi Xiaochuan probably understood the Southern Border Army's elite strength better than most other generals. During his years in hiding in the Southern Border, he witnessed firsthand how this army trained and fought. Their strict discipline, sophisticated equipment, and fierce bravery were unmatched by any ordinary vassal army. Today's daytime battle was merely a preliminary test, and he had already witnessed their resilient defenses and fierce counterattacks. To imagine that relying on his 30,000 cavalry to forcibly overrun the Southern Border Army camp, commanded by Gao Yao, was a pipe dream and would only lead to further casualties.