The Blood Crown - Chapter 76

On the following day, Feng Ye’s army gathered outside Qingxu Valley.

The weather was clear and refreshing, with the sun shining brightly. As they turned around the foot of the mountain, the narrow entrance of Qingxu Valley was not far away. Though it couldn’t be seen at the moment, one could imagine the deep valley snaking through the barren mountains, and they were about to enter its depths, ready to fight to the death.

After waiting for a while, a scout came running back, kneeling before Feng Ye’s horse. “General, the rebels have set up an ambush above Qingxu Valley.”

“How many are ambushed?”

“About a thousand.”

“What about the checkpoint?”

“We haven’t seen rebels at the entrance, but the exit has been blocked by a large rebel army.”

Feng Ye waved his hand and glanced at Yan Sikong.

However, Yan Sikong squinted his eyes, riding his horse in a circle on the spot. “Very good, the wind direction hasn’t changed.”

“Fortune favors me as well.”

Yan Sikong nodded. “As we expected, time is short, the mountain roads are difficult to traverse, and the rebels cannot bring a large amount of supplies into the mountains. Hence, there are fewer ambushes above and more blockades ahead. Under these circumstances, this plan is still feasible, but…” He looked back at the densely packed soldiers behind him. “Even if we can break through, our casualties will undoubtedly be heavy.”

Feng Ye’s expression turned grave. “If we take a detour, our provisions will be cut off, and our casualties will be even harder to estimate. There’s only this path left.”

Wang Moxiu said, “General, I’m willing to be in the vanguard.”

Feng Ye shook his head, took a deep breath, and loudly declared, “Liu Yong, take a thousand soldiers to climb the mountain, scatter the rebel ambush, and drive them back. Don’t pursue.”

“Yes, sir!”

“Bai Shangren, prepare horses, mugwort, and oil. Wait for my command.”

“Yes, sir!”

“Yan Sikong.” Feng Ye stared ahead, not looking at Yan Sikong. “Lead eight hundred soldiers to guard this place, preventing the rebels from cutting off our retreat. If I retreat, you can also provide assistance.”

Yan Sikong opened his mouth but swallowed his words, bowing. “Yes, sir.”

“Wang Moxiu.”

“Here.”

Feng Ye tightened his grip on his spear. “Qingxu Valley’s chokepoint is narrow, and the army can only pass through in a serpent formation, not in a rush. I’ll lead the vanguard, leading the front army in the charge. You’ll hold the rear, leading the rear army to support. When the front army grows weary, the front and rear armies will exchange positions without the slightest relaxation. Remember, I won’t retreat, and whoever dares to retreat will be executed!”

“Yes, sir!”

Feng Ye pulled the reins, intending to march.

“General,” Yan Sikong said softly.

Feng Ye paused for a moment, then turned back, his expression unchanged, but his eyes revealing some emotion.

Yan Sikong clasped his hands together, speaking solemnly. “General, guard the rear and await good news in peace.”

Feng Ye returned the gesture, then turned and spurred his horse onward.

Yan Sikong stared at Feng Ye’s back, watching until he was swallowed up by the army. Feng Ye was only nineteen this year, but Yan Sikong had a premonition that he would see Feng Ye’s departing figure many times in his life. A man’s ambition lies in all directions; even though he worried, he would never obstruct.

Moreover, he believed that both he and Feng Ye were destined to be movers and shakers in the world. This place surely wouldn’t be their end!

Approaching the mouth of Qingxu Valley, Bai Shangren led a hundred cavalry out of the formation. They dismounted neatly and tied strawmen, prepared overnight, to the backs of their horses. Behind the horses, they tied branches and sticks, dousing them with oil.

Feng Ye watched the restless warhorses and remembered the time he spent at Guangning Horse Farm when he was young. Warhorses were the soldiers’ sharp weapons and the nation’s heavy equipment. Since losing the Hexi Corridor, the Sheng Dynasty’s emphasis on warhorses was extraordinary. It was also because of this that he had formed a bond with Yan Sikong.

Which military commander would willingly abandon a hundred warhorses if not for a last resort?

Feng Ye said in a deep voice, “Send soldiers to ignite the grass and wood, smoke out Qingxu Valley.”

“Yes, sir!”

Hundreds of soldiers had already bound wood, mugwort, and dry hay eaten by warhorses into bundles. Carrying oil and torches, they ran towards the chokepoint. They moved cautiously along the wall. When they approached the mouth of the valley, there was no movement from above the gorge, indicating that the rebel army was waiting for their main force.

The soldiers ventured deep into the valley, igniting the grass and wood. Soon, smoke filled the air, rising with the wind. At this time of year, the grass and wood were moist, so the fire wasn’t big. However, due to the narrowness of the valley, the smoke couldn’t dissipate quickly, and within moments, the entire valley was covered in thick smoke, making it difficult to see.

Feng Ye shouted, “Charge!”

The three armies roared together, their shouts echoing through the valley.

The hundred cavalrymen lit the strawmen on their horses’ backs and viciously whipped the horses’ flanks with their reins. The horses, feeling pain and being engulfed in flames, crazily surged forward towards the front.

A hundred warhorses, dragging branches and sticks, running together, seemed to have the might of a thousand troops. Coupled with the shouts and cries echoing through the valley, no one doubted that it was a major army attacking.

At the bottom of the valley, smoke filled the air, obscuring visibility. The rebel generals could only vaguely see a group of flaming warhorses charging into the valley through the smoke. With no time to spare, they shouted, “Release—”

Instantly, arrows and stones rained down from the sky. The valley was filled with chaotic noise, and it was difficult to distinguish between men and horses. It was truly a mess.

The horses, engulfed in flames, let out cries of agony as they dashed around haphazardly. Some ran wildly throughout the valley, while others charged straight for the exit. The rebels at the chokepoint watched as the thick fog gradually dispersed, only to be met not with a bedraggled enemy but with a series of speeding fireballs.

As the warhorses charged into the enemy formation, cries of agony echoed one after another. At this moment, horn signals came from above Qingxu Valley, indicating that Liu Yong was already engaged in combat with the ambush.

Feng Ye raised his long spear, pointing it straight ahead, and shouted loudly, “Charge!” He fiercely spurred his horse’s flank, and in the blink of an eye, they had already galloped several yards away.

“Forward—”

Three thousand soldiers poured into Qingxu Valley like a flood. At this moment, with the smoke gradually dissipating and the ambush above almost depleted of arrows and stones, thanks to Liu Yong’s efforts, they were almost powerless to “deal with” the enemy at the bottom of the valley. They swept through the valley with their long spears.

Feng Ye led the charge, wielding his heavy spear, and charged into the disorganized enemy formation, which had been shattered by the impact of the flaming warhorses.

“Form up, form up!” The enemy generals shouted.

Feng Ye’s eyes were sharp, fearlessly facing the front, meeting the forest of spears head-on. Just as it seemed the blades were about to turn him and his horse into a hedgehog, he leaped high from the back of his horse, somersaulting in mid-air. With his bright red cloak resembling a streak of crimson, he landed in the enemy formation. His long spear swept horizontally, and the sound of blades piercing flesh echoed incessantly as a row of enemy soldiers fell under his feet.

Feng Ye held a shield in one hand and swung his hundred-pound spear in the other, deeply entrenched in the enemy formation without chaos, unafraid of being surrounded by the enemy. He continuously forced back the enemy troops charging towards him.

“Protect the general!”

The soldiers in the rear quickly clashed with the enemy, and the bodies of men and horses piled up in the narrow pass, only five or six yards wide. One side fought to break free, while the other fought to hold on. The two armies trampled upon the indistinguishable corpses of friend and foe, mixing together in a melee of screams, blood, and fire, creating a cruel scene.

With the flaming horses charging in the front and Feng Ye clearing the way in the back, a gap was torn open at the chokepoint. The enemy generals shouted to form up, and soldiers were sent to block the gap with their flesh and blood. Feng Ye was also rallying soldiers to tear it open.

The enemy general stared straight at Feng Ye, veins bulging on his face as he shouted hoarsely, “Hold your ground! No one is allowed to retreat!”

Feng Ye roared, “This path leads only forward, with no retreat. Advance and live, retreat and die! Charge—”

The rear army led by Wang Moxiu replaced the heavily wounded front army, revitalizing the situation like an infusion of new blood. With the fearless leadership of their commander and the soldiers’ unwavering determination to fight to the death, they were extremely encouraged. Moreover, with no way to retreat and a determination to die in battle, they displayed extraordinary bravery.

Under the leadership of Feng Ye and Wang Moxiu, batches of soldiers charged to their deaths. The gap in the enemy formation grew larger and larger. When Feng Ye saw that the time was right, he ordered, “Send word for Yan Sikong to come and reinforce!”

The sound of horns echoed from the gorge, and Yan Sikong had been silent on his horse for a long time. Upon hearing the command, he drew his sword, “Charge—”

The eight hundred soldiers of the rear army also rushed into Qingxu Valley. Seeing that the gap ahead had already opened, they defended the rear while providing support, following Feng Ye and breaking out of the gorge together.

The rebel generals saw that their defeat was irreversible and that the enemy’s morale was high, so they could no longer engage in battle. They had no choice but to order a retreat.

Feng Ye led his troops in pursuit for twenty miles before finally stopping. He wasn’t really intending to pursue them, but the rebel casualties were significantly lower than theirs. If they didn’t pursue, the rebels might think they were at the end of their rope, and launch a surprise attack. After this battle, as they assessed their losses, over half of their forces had been killed or injured. Although they had broken out of Qingxu Valley, the losses were truly heavy. However, ahead of them lay a smooth path, and the signs of life were already evident. In this battle, they had emerged victorious!