Mythical Qin: I, Gao Yao, will never be a eunuch!

Chapter 911 Accidentally entering the thorn forest, a natural ambush!

"Yes!" The personal guards outside the tent responded immediately, and then the sound of horse hooves and the voice of orders quickly resounded throughout the camp.

The entire cavalry camp, like a sleeping giant, suddenly awakened, torches lit one after another, illuminating the soldiers' swift and orderly movements. The clinking of armor, the neighing of horses, and the urging of officers intertwined, filled the air with the tension and solemnity of the battle.

Yi Xiaochuan tied his cloak tightly and strode out of the tent. The cold night wind blew on his face, making him more energetic. He continued to issue orders, his thoughts clear:

"Also! Immediately dispatch thirty elite scouts, split into multiple groups, and report to His Majesty as quickly as possible the news that the Southern Border Army has fled southwest at night, heading towards Black Wind Gorge! Your Majesty, please dispatch troops to encircle them at Yangping Pass and cut off their retreat!"

"Here!"

Another order was issued. Yi Xiaochuan mounted his horse and, looking at the rapidly gathering troops, a surge of heroic spirit surged in his chest. The hunt had begun. Gao Yao, Gao Yao, no matter how cunning you are, you won't escape this time! Your decision to flee at night gives me the perfect opportunity to annihilate you in the wild!

He had never expected, or rather, he subconsciously underestimated that Gao Yao, who seemed only good at plotting and scheming, could actually design such a precise and vicious trap in the military.

The intelligence he obtained - "southwest direction", "the path beside the Black Wind Gorge", "no obvious signs of ambush" - were all carefully planned and deliberately presented to him by Gao Yao.

The path looked ordinary at the entrance, only slightly narrower and more desolate than the official road. It was barely passable for cavalry. But after a few miles, the terrain began to change subtly. Wild thorns and bushes grew incredibly dense, tangling with the low trees to form a natural, vast maze of thorns.

This wasn't the traditionally perilous ambush spot, nestled between two mountains and a ravine, ideal for rolling logs and rocks. Therefore, a scout's cursory observation from a distance would have been extremely difficult to detect the true dangers deep within. Gao Yao's army had cleared and marked some passages in advance, sufficient for infantry familiar with the terrain to pass quickly. However, for cavalry, who relied entirely on speed and open space, once they penetrated deep into the area, they would find it difficult to move forward.

The dense thorns would not only severely slow the march, scratching horses and soldiers, but would also completely disrupt the cavalry's formation, making it difficult to launch an effective charge. Once the cavalry was stretched out and fragmented in the thorny forest, Gao Yao's large number of infantry, pre-ambushed in the woods and behind the thorns on both sides, could take advantage of the situation and calmly attack with spears, bows and crossbows.

This was a trap that took advantage of the terrain to the extreme. It was so well disguised that it didn't even look like an ambush point on the surface. Because of this, it was easier for Yi Xiaochuan, who was eager to pursue and full of confidence, to fall into the trap.

At this moment, Yi Xiaochuan's cavalry had already assembled. Torches like dragons illuminated his resolute face. He pointed his sword forward, his voice echoing in the night sky:

"All troops, listen! Target the southwest, the direction of Black Wind Gorge! Pursue the Gaoyao rebels and achieve great success. Today is the day!"

"Pursuit!"

The thunder of horse hooves suddenly rang out, and the earth began to tremble. A massive torrent of cavalry, with unmatched momentum, pursued what they believed to be their fleeing prey and slammed headfirst into the Deaththorn Forest, which, shrouded in darkness, gaped its invisible maw.

Like a flaming torrent of steel, Yi Xiaochuan's 25,000 elite cavalrymen surged southwestward onto the narrow path leading to Black Wind Gorge. The deafening sound of horse hooves echoed through the silent night sky, while the light from torches stretched into long streams as they galloped, illuminating the stern faces of the cavalrymen.

At the outset of the pursuit, everything seemed just as Yi Xiaochuan had anticipated. While the path wasn't as wide and flat as the official road, it was still wide enough for three horses to ride side by side. Scouts kept reporting that torches from the southern border troops were faintly visible ahead, their ranks disorganized, a sign of a hasty retreat. This further solidified Yi Xiaochuan's judgment: Gao Yao was a lost cause, desperately fleeing towards Yangping Pass.

"Speed ​​up! Hold on to them! Don't let any of them get away!" Yi Xiaochuan's voice carried on the wind, carrying unquestionable determination. The cavalry urged their horses on, increasing their speed again, each eager to gain merit in this pursuit.

However, as they continued deeper, the terrain began to subtly shift. The path gradually became more winding, and the woods on either side grew denser and darker, like two silent, black walls. The ground became less solid, with occasional soft pits or scattered gravel appearing. Even more disturbing, low, thorny bushes began to appear along the roadside, increasingly scraping the calves of the galloping cavalry and the bellies of their horses.

Initially, these were ignored. How could one march and fight without encountering thorns? The knights simply adjusted their course slightly to avoid the larger thorn bushes.

But change is gradual, and deadly traps often disguise themselves as minor inconveniences.

When he heard the chaotic sounds of the Southern Border Army stopping and changing its formation, Yi Xiaochuan was cheered up, thinking that he had finally caught up with the rear of the enemy and the moment of decisive battle had arrived!

"All troops, listen up! Prepare to engage the enemy! Charge into formation!" He raised his spear high and shouted sternly.

The massive cavalry group began to accelerate and complete the final preparations for the attack. But at this moment, they were shocked to find that the road and environment under their feet had become so unfamiliar and dangerous!

The path seemed to have come to an end, and the place ahead suddenly opened up. It was not the open land as expected, but a vast expanse that appeared hideous under the light of torches - a sea of ​​thorns!

Dense, tangled wild thorn bushes and low shrubs, each over a man's height, covered nearly every inch of the land. Intertwined with the twisted roots of the trees, they formed a massive natural obstacle. Gao Yao's army had clearly cleared several extremely narrow, winding paths, barely wide enough for infantry. But for cavalry, who needed both speed and space, this place was pure hell!

The cavalrymen in the front were unable to stop in time and both they and their horses plunged into the thorn bushes!

"Herod!" The horses cried out in agony as the sharp thorns instantly sliced ​​through their sturdy muscles, pierced their tendons, and even penetrated deep into their bodies. The knights on horseback were thrown forward by the tremendous inertia and slammed heavily into the thorny bushes. They screamed miserably and were instantly pierced to a bloody mess.

The following cavalrymen were horrified and desperately tightened their reins, trying to stop or turn. But how could a high-speed charge be halted so easily? Suddenly, a scene of people and horses falling to the ground unfolded in the front of the column! Horses collided, knights were thrown from their horses, and the neat charging formation collapsed in an instant, plunging into extreme chaos and panic.