"Southern barbarian pretty boy, Dian Meng of Ji Zhou is here!"
The young general in the scarlet robe led a band of men to charge at Zhou Fugui and the others. Before Suo Dacheng could rush forward, Dian Meng leaped from a rock with his Phoenix-pointed saber held high, and brought it down with the force of Mount Tai, aimed at the head of the scarlet-robed young general.
The Xia army had set an ambush, attacking the Yan army's Vanguard Battalion mid-crossing. Dian Meng of Ji Zhou's Ji Zhou Banner was also scattered by the Xia army. The banner general did not flee but was shot dead by the Xia army in the Mayue River.
According to Yan army law, if a banner general dies, the entire banner is executed. However, there was a supplementary military law: if the banner soldiers fought bravely and turned the tide, they could be spared death and even receive some reward. Therefore, after their banner general was shot dead, the soldiers of the Ji Zhou Banner not only did not flee but shouted and fought fiercely, holding onto a sliver of hope that they could win and continue to survive.
Surrender would implicate their families, and fleeing meant death just as much as fighting. It was better to fight. Fighting might offer a glimmer of hope. The Yan army's lower-ranking soldiers struggled just to stay alive.
At the same time, Dian Meng was a dark-skinned man who detested pretty boys...
Dian Meng leaped from above like Mount Tai descending, his attack exceptionally fierce. The scarlet-robed young general had no time to dodge. Astride his horse, he gripped his iron halberd horizontally with both hands, blocking Dian Meng's strike.
Their weapons clashed with a "clang." Both were powerful, and both felt their wrists go numb.
Dian Meng's Phoenix-pointed saber struck the scarlet-robed young general's halberd shaft, sending sparks flying.
Dian Meng was flung back, rolling into the mud and water.
"Hoo!" the scarlet-robed young general roared. He held the reins of his steed with his left hand. The horse neighed and reared up. With his right hand, the young general held his iron halberd and thrust it at Dian Meng, who was on the ground in the mud.
"Puff!" Dian Meng, startled, rolled to the side. The halberd grazed his head and plunged into the mud, splattering him with dirt. He looked utterly disheveled.
"Brother Dian Meng, I'm here to help you!"
At this moment, Suo Dacheng arrived, his ax raised. With a loud roar, he rolled onto the ground and swung his ax at the hooves of the scarlet-robed young general's white horse.
The best way for infantry to deal with cavalry was to first disable the mount, especially heavy cavalry, whose only weakness was the horse's legs. Horse legs had no armor. If the legs were severed, the heavily armored rider would be rendered useless.
However, severing horse legs was not easy. If unsuccessful, one might be trampled or kicked to death by the horse before even reaching its legs.
The scarlet-robed young general, seeing Suo Dacheng roll towards his mount, snorted. He pulled on the reins, and the white horse leaped up, soaring over Suo Dacheng. Its hind hooves kicked Suo Dacheng's right leg as it passed.
Suo Dacheng was not seriously injured but limped.
"Clang!" As the white horse was in mid-air, the scarlet-robed young general turned and brought his halberd down on Suo Dacheng. Suo Dacheng blocked with his ax and forcefully pushed aside the young general's halberd.
"What a formidable pretty boy, watch your saber!"
Although Suo Dacheng hadn't managed to bring down the scarlet-robed young general's mount, he had bought Dian Meng time. Dian Meng scrambled back to his feet, wielding his saber alongside Suo Dacheng, attacking the young general.
The scarlet-robed young general showed no fear. Gripping his iron halberd with both hands, he engaged Dian Meng and Suo Dacheng in battle.
And so, two dark-skinned men and one pretty boy clashed, fighting fiercely with no clear winner.
What a skilled general!
Seeing this, Zhou Fugui couldn't help but praise him inwardly. He then nocked an arrow and, while the scarlet-robed young general was locked in a fierce struggle with Dian Meng and Suo Dacheng, he loosed an arrow.
The arrow flew like a shooting star, rapidly heading for the scarlet-robed young general's back.
Although Zhou Fugui admired the Xia army's skilled general and respected him, he showed no mercy in his surprise attack.
In the heat of battle, the fiercer the enemy general fought, the more of his own men would die. If this skilled general were not eliminated, Zhou Fugui himself might fall by his hand.
As the arrow neared its target, aimed at the young general's back, Zhou Fugui secretly rejoiced. However, as if the young general had eyes in the back of his head, he shifted his body slightly, and the arrow grazed past him.
The scarlet-robed young general was furious. While engaged in a fierce battle with Dian Meng and Suo Dacheng, he managed to disengage, push them back with his halberd, quickly retrieve a bow and arrow, and turn to fire a shot.
An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. The arrow flew with a chilling whistle, directly at Zhou Fugui.
Zhou Fugui was terrified and hastily ducked. The arrow grazed the tips of his hair and shot off his leather cap.
"Dong... Dong... Dong..."
"Wuwuwu..."
At this moment, a long and clear bugle call sounded from afar, causing both warring sides to temporarily halt their fighting and turn to look.
A thick black line was approaching from the horizon.
It was the cavalry of the Great Yan Dynasty.
Before Murong Tengge arrived at Mayue River, he had sent swift riders to hurry the rear guard. His orders had been effective, and the Yan cavalry's Dragon Cavalry Battalion had arrived.
"Heh-ho! Heh-ho! Heh-ho!"
The fierce Yan cavalry urged their steeds forward at a slow trot, their sabers dancing lightly as they let out chilling roars.
With the arrival of the Yan cavalry, the Yan army at Mayue River was greatly inspired, while the Xia army showed looks of panic.
The scarlet-robed young general frowned at the sight. He pushed back Dian Meng and Suo Dacheng's entanglement with his halberd, reined in his horse, and retreated, orderly fighting and withdrawing, leading the Xia army back towards the forest.
When infantry fought cavalry, they needed to make full use of mountains, rivers, and forests to stand a chance.
The Xia army retreated like a receding tide. The Vanguard Battalion of the Yan army at Mayue River was already exhausted and longed for the Xia army to leave. They dared not pursue.
In this battle, the Vanguard Battalion fell into a Xia army ambush, suffering hundreds of casualties and countless wounded. Their provisions and military supplies were also almost entirely lost.
After the Xia army retreated, the banks of the Mayue River were littered with countless corpses, broken weapons, and arrowheads. Wounded Yan soldiers lay groaning in pain, and the blood-red river washed over the banks repeatedly, with bodies bobbing in the water—a scene too gruesome to behold.
"My brothers!"
Someone unknown began to weep, and soon almost everyone joined in, their cries echoing across the banks of the Mayue River.
The Vanguard Battalion was largely composed of Han Chinese conscripted by the Yan court from the northern regions. Each banner was mostly comprised of men from the same hometown, some even fathers and sons, or brothers. Witnessing their loved ones die tragically or fall wounded, their grief was overwhelming, and they wept uncontrollably.
The uncertainty of their future also brought tears to their eyes.
This was war!
Zhou Fugui, covered in blood, stood up with his bow, looking at the devastated Mayue River. He couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
Many of Zhou Fugui's fellow villagers had also been killed or wounded in the battle at Mayue River. Wu Zhang, his squad leader, had died from his severe injuries, and Zhou Fugui was heartbroken, shedding tears as well.
Xiao Qing, huddled behind Zhou Fugui, had already turned pale. He closed his eyes and lowered his head, not daring to look at the horrific scene before him.
...
"Commander, Commander, at the height of the battle, I led my men to fight bravely. After the enemy retreated, I pursued and captured over a dozen southern rebels..." Banner Officer Albugu hurried to Murong Tengge to claim credit.
As soon as the battle began, Albugu had taken a few men and hidden somewhere. After the Xia army retreated, Albugu naturally reappeared and claimed to have "pursued and captured" many Xia soldiers, most of whom were ordinary Xia civilians he had ordered his men to round up.
Murong Tengge let out a cold snort, glanced at Albugu, and ignored him.
In the battle of Mayue River, Murong Tengge and his men were stranded on the north bank by the flood and had not participated. However, they had witnessed the battle firsthand.
The Vanguard Battalion had been ambushed and thrown into chaos. If not for the determined efforts of Zhou Fugui and his men to fight fiercely, Albugu's banner would have already routed, leading to even more severe losses. Moreover, it was thanks to Zhou Fugui that the other banners of the Vanguard Battalion on the south bank had rallied and counterattacked the Xia army. Zhou Fugui had made invaluable contributions to this battle.
Without Zhou Fugui, the Vanguard Battalion on the south bank might have been annihilated.
The Yan court had strictly ordered that the commanders of all Han and Xianbei troops must be Xianbei. Otherwise, Murong Tengge would have gladly replaced this cowardly, greedy, and credit-seeking Albugu, perhaps even demoting him to a common soldier, though he likely wouldn't even be fit for that.
"Where is Zhou Fugui?" Murong Tengge asked Albugu, his thoughts turning in this direction.
"Commander, why... why are you asking about him?" Albugu knew the details of the battle at Mayue River, and he was now worried that Zhou Fugui would snatch his credit.
After all, the Yan court's rewards for military achievements were exceptionally generous.
"Call him here," Murong Tengge interrupted Albugu with a stern face.
Albugu, with no choice, went to fetch Zhou Fugui.
"Commander, what do you need me for?" Zhou Fugui arrived and, without ceremony, sat down on a rock, looking askance at Murong Tengge.
After days of marching and a fierce battle, even a man made of iron would be utterly exhausted.
At this moment, Zhou Fugui only wanted to sleep soundly, but he had been summoned by Murong Tengge.
"Young Master Zhou, you have worked hard." The Xianbei people did not have many formal courtesies. Zhou Fugui's disrespectful behavior, had it been in the Xia dynasty, would have drawn criticism and displeased the commanding officer. Murong Tengge, however, did not mind. He patted Zhou Fugui's shoulder and smiled, "My judgment is never wrong. Young Master, you have indeed lived up to my expectations!"
The Yan had occupied the Central Plains for a long time, and many Xianbei people could speak Han Chinese.
"Thank you for your praise, Commander." Zhou Fugui perfunctorily replied, his voice weak.
"Mm..." Murong Tengge nodded, then turned and announced loudly to the assembled men, "Banner soldier Zhou Fugui, at a critical moment when the army was in peril, fought bravely against the southern rebels and achieved great merit. Our Great Yan has always rewarded merit and punished wrongdoing. Therefore, Zhou Fugui is promoted to the position of Battalion Guard of the Vanguard Battalion. Additionally, I will report this to the court by swift rider to highly reward those who have made contributions in this battle, to show your loyal hearts."
Generally speaking, it was extremely difficult for Han Chinese to be promoted within the Yan army.