bayedsolid Chapter 2062 Pursuit, Covering the Rear!
Chapter 2062 Pursuit, Covering the Rear!
Without any hesitation, Feng Anguo turned abruptly to face the soldiers standing solemnly awaiting orders inside the city gate, and his voice, as loud as a bell, resounded throughout the city tower: "All soldiers, listen to my command!"
Everyone held their breath.
"That old scoundrel Li Jing is doomed and has fled north in panic! General Zhao Yu is fighting a bloody battle at the front, holding off the enemy!"
"Now is the time for us to press our advantage, expand our gains, and demonstrate the might of our Great Chu!"
His gaze swept over the excited and determined faces, and he quickly issued the order: "Deputy General Zhang Cheng!"
"Your subordinate is here!" A middle-aged general stepped forward.
"I hereby order you to lead two thousand elite troops to firmly guard Zhennan Pass! Be vigilant against small enemy units launching surprise attacks or routs! The pass is your life, the pass is your death!"
"Your humble servant obeys! I swear to live and die with Zhennan Pass!" Zhang Cheng clasped his hands in a fist salute, his voice resounding.
Feng Anguo nodded, then drew his sword and pointed it north: "The rest of the soldiers, follow me out of the pass! Our objective: pursue Li Jing! Carry no baggage, only three days' rations, and advance swiftly and lightly!"
"In this battle, we must inflict heavy losses on the Tang army. If we can capture or kill Li Jing, that will be our greatest achievement! Let us display our military might today!"
"Open the city gate!"
The heavy city gates creaked open slowly, and the blood-stained wind from outside rushed into the pass.
Feng Anguo took the lead, and his six thousand well-rested and vigorous troops surged out of Zhennan Pass like a flood bursting its banks. Along the official road, they began a swift pursuit towards the direction in which Li Jing had fled north.
On the city wall, Zhang Cheng, the deputy general left behind, watched the army depart into the distance, then sternly gave the order:
"Close the city gates! All defensive equipment in position! Raise alert to the highest level!"
Zhennanguan once again entered a tense defensive state, while outside the pass, a pursuit battle that would determine whether victory could be completely secured officially began.
Zhao Yu's decisive decision and Feng Anguo's swift response enabled the Chu army to seize a favorable position at this critical moment.
Li Jing's escape route is destined to be fraught with difficulties.
The biting night wind began to howl, stirring up the smoke and blood of the battlefield, but it could not dispel the chilling atmosphere and urgency that permeated the air.
Feng Anguo took the lead, leading six thousand well-rested and vigorous Chu troops, like tigers released from their cages, galloping north along the official road.
The thunderous sound of horses' hooves rolled across the land, startling the birds that were roosting in the woods.
They all knew that time was of the essence, and every moment of delay increased Li Jing's chances of escaping.
Finally, at a narrow area called "Feilingjian" about thirty miles from Zhennanguan, the vanguard of the Chu army caught up with the tail of the main force of the Tang army.
However, the Tang army before them did not show the chaos and panic of a defeated army.
Despite the obvious signs of fatigue and retreat in the ranks, the rearguard maintained a relatively orderly formation, moving quickly but without disorder, demonstrating a high degree of discipline.
Feng Anguo, with his sharp eyes, immediately ordered: "Vanguard Battalion, spread out and hold them off!"
"Archers, prepare to fire to slow their march!"
As soon as the order was given, the Chu army surged forward like a tidal wave.
Just as the Chu army was about to make contact with the Tang army's rear guard, the Tang army's rear guard suddenly split to the flanks.
A force of about three thousand elite infantrymen quickly turned around and formed a solid circular formation, with spears like a forest and shields like a wall, forcefully blocking the first wave of Chu army's attack.
The leading Tang general, holding a solid iron spear, stood at the front of the formation. His armor was stained with blood, but his gaze was calm and deep. He was none other than Su Fang, a valiant general of the Tang army.
The Soviet side was very clear about its mission.
He rode up to Li Jing, whose face was grim and who was preparing to command his troops to break through the encirclement, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and said in a deep voice:
"General! The Chu army's pursuers are upon us. I request permission to lead my troops to cover their rear and intercept Feng Anguo!"
"Please leave immediately, General. I will certainly not fail you!"
Looking at his beloved general who had followed him for many years, Li Jing felt as if a huge boulder was pressing down on his heart.
He knew that in such a dangerous place, facing the pursuit of Feng Anguo's superior forces, leaving behind a rearguard would almost certainly mean certain death.
Looking into Su Fang's firm and resolute eyes, he knew that any words of comfort would be futile at this moment.
He reached out and patted Su Fang's shoulder heavily, all his unspoken words condensed into a hoarse admonition: "Su Fang. Come back alive! I'll be waiting for you in Luoyang for a drink!"
This sentence contained the commander's final concern for his generals, and also carried a sliver of hope.
Su Fang grinned, a smile that appeared somewhat ferocious on his blood-stained face, yet also carried the unique boldness and nonchalance of a soldier:
"Rest assured, General! This humble general will certainly drink your treasured imperial wine! Let's go!"
Without further hesitation, Li Jing waved his hand and led the core of the central army and the remaining cavalry.
He ignored the battle situation behind him and continued to retreat north at top speed, leaving the hope of survival to the main force and the danger of death to the rearguard.
As he watched Li Jing's figure disappear into the twilight, Su Fang's smile vanished instantly, replaced by an almost frantic determination and fighting spirit.
He abruptly turned his horse around, facing the Chu army that had already completed the initial encirclement, raised his iron spear high, and roared like thunder throughout the entire Luoying Ravine: "Soldiers of the Great Tang!"
All the Tang soldiers covering the rear, whether wounded or not, looked at their general.
"Behind us lies our commander-in-chief, the lifeline of our comrades!"
Before us lies the arrogant Chu army!
"Having received the order to cover the rear, we are prepared to die rather than live! Let these Chu people see what the military spirit of our Great Tang is! What the backbone of our Great Tang men is!"
"Form ranks! Prepare for battle!"
"Roar! May the Great Tang Dynasty be victorious!"
The three thousand Tang soldiers roared in fury, their combined voices carrying a fierce and tragic momentum, as if they were about to tear the night apart.
They quickly changed formation, no longer a simple defensive circle, but a more aggressive wedge formation, with Su Fang as the sharpest arrowhead!
Feng Anguo, who was on the other side, could see it clearly and was deeply moved by the tenacity and fighting spirit of this Tang army.
But as the commander-in-chief of the Chu army, he could not afford to be soft-hearted at this moment.
He drew his sword and pointed it forward: "Soldiers, His Majesty is watching us! Annihilate them, pursue Li Jing! Kill!"
"kill!"
The Chu army surged forward like a tidal wave.
However, what happened next showed all the Chu soldiers who participated in the battle the terrifying fighting power of the Tang army when they were in dire straits.
Su Fang took the lead, his iron spear like a dragon emerging from the sea, each thrust accompanied by a piercing sound. Chu soldiers who were touched by it died instantly, and those who were hit were wounded instantly. Not one of them could withstand its sharpness.
The three thousand Tang soldiers behind him also displayed astonishing fighting power.
Most of these are experienced veterans who work well together, in groups of three or five, supporting each other back-to-back.