From this day forth, there were no more of the eighteen Turkic tribes.
Upon the grasslands, there were only the eight divisions of the Tang's Heavenly Dipper.
Since you all take the wolf as your totem, you shall be known as the Eight Divisions of the Grass Wolf.
From this day forth, should you dare to defy the might of the Great Tang again, I, this Marquis, will ensure not a single soul from your entire clan remains!
Once they had all received their tokens, Fang Er shouted sternly.
Heavenly Dipper Division, He Yi Ji Ke!
Heavenly Mechanism Division, Ashina Bo Bi!
Heavenly Leisure Division, Yi Nan!
Heavenly Warrior Division, Nai Da Bie Rou!
Heavenly Hero Division, Gu Rou Xiang Lian!
Heavenly Fierce Division, Ba Le Meng Gan!
Heavenly Might Division, Ge Zhi Wo Yang!
We thank Your Lordship for bestowing names upon us! From now on, we shall consider the Great Tang our nation, obey its commands, and protect the vast grasslands!
Fang Er's mouth twitched. These imposing Heavenly Dipper divisions, when associated with these names, suddenly felt… off.
You have one hour to withdraw all personnel who have defected to you from Qikou.
After one hour, I, this Marquis, will bathe the remaining tribes in blood!
Yes!
The few men rose together, bowed to Fang Er, and slowly withdrew.
Fang Er had given them an hour, but after only half an hour, they began to withdraw their men from Qikou.
In total, the six divisions withdrew less than fifty thousand men.
The fact that they had been so streamlined clearly indicated they no longer had the courage to deceive the Tang.
Of course, in addition to these troops, the Ashina tribe's clansmen, as well as their livestock, also withdrew, bringing their families along.
Qikou was left with only the forces of five tribes: the Ashide Division, the Die Division, the Shi Ni Division, the Yu She Shi Division, and the Si Jie Division.
Among these, the Ashide Division, the Shi Ni Division, and the Si Jie Division had already lost their leaders.
Some who sensed that the situation was not right and wished to blend into the Eight Divisions of the Grass Wolf's ranks to leave Qikou were directly cut down by the soldiers of the Grass Wolf divisions.
After paying such a great price for a chance to survive, they expected a free ride?
My Lord, all our subordinates have withdrawn!
Ashina Bo Bi and the others stood before Fang Er, bowing respectfully.
Very well, then retreat to the side. I shall show you what it means to unleash full firepower!
All personnel, attention, all personnel!
This is Dong Yao, unleashing full firepower!
Fang Er took out his walkie-talkie and directly issued the order to fire.
Dong Yao, Dong Yao, this is First Regiment, order received!
Dong Yao, Dong Yao, this is Second Regiment, order received!
~~~~~~~~
Zhu Zi, Liu Meng, and the others responded one by one.
After Tie Lao Ba replied, he tucked the walkie-talkie back into his uniform pocket and turned to face the artillerymen at the gun positions.
Take your positions!
Target Qikou, charge pack number two, artillery bombardment coverage!
First round, angle thirty, fire!
Bang bang bang bang!
After the first round of volleys from the thirty cannons, Tie Lao Ba gave another order.
Second round, angle thirty-five, fire!
Bang bang bang bang bang!
Third round, angle forty, fire!
Fourth round, switch to charge pack number three, angle thirty, fire!
~~~~~~~~
The thirty cannons continuously poured a large volume of shells into Qikou.
With each round, they adjusted the angle or switched the charge pack.
The hot air balloons drifting in the air were also not idle. Led by Zhang Tian, they circled above Qikou, dropping hand grenades one by one.
Qikou was engulfed in smoke and fire everywhere.
Yu She San Jin and Die Jin Fen Dui, who had survived yesterday's ordeal, felt a sense of foreboding when Ashina Bo Bi and the others led their troops out. They tried to follow, but were driven back by the six divisions.
The Tang Army's Marquis of Liaodong had stated there were only six spots, so no one dared to take them along.
From the moment the first round of shells landed outside Qikou, the violent explosions, the tents blown apart by the shockwaves, and the flying flesh and blood caused Yu She San Jin and Die Jin Fen Dui to panic completely.
Retreat! We cannot stay here!
The two men led their subordinates and fled in the northeast and southwest directions respectively.
As for the other three divisions, without leaders, they couldn't even find someone to give orders.
Seeing the two divisions flee, some clever individuals blended in with them.
However, barely a mile outside Qikou, they encountered Tang troops blocking their path.
Liu Meng divided the Third Regiment's convoy into two teams, giving one team to Zhu Zi while he himself led the other team to guard the Le Mo area.
It was impossible to entrust the convoy to the Heavenly Kui Division's command!
On either side, fifteen "three-wheelers" dragging chains, their cargo bays filled with Third Regiment soldiers armed with Yun Er models, gave the five divisions desperately trying to escape almost no hope.
The leaders of the Eight Divisions of the Grass Wolf felt their choice was incredibly astute!
Under the Tang Army's firepower, perhaps even the Eternal Heaven would be powerless!
A full half hour later, Fang Er finally gave the order to cease fire.
Le Mo, accompanied by several personal guards, returned to the cannon positions.
My Lord, not a single person escaped from my side!
Fang Er nodded: Well done, this is a reward for you!
He said, tossing a box of cigars.
Then he said to the others.
Gentlemen, please trouble yourselves to lead your men into the battlefield for cleanup. As for any spoils, they shall belong to your respective divisions.
Yes, thank you for your lordships' generosity!
After receiving the orders, the leaders of the Eight Divisions of the Grass Wolf led their men, stepping once more into the area of Qikou.
ps: Fifth update