Chapter 32: The Battle of Xiling breaks out completely!! ( words long chapter)
Chapter 032: The Xiling War breaks out completely!! ( words long chapter)
The sun slowly sank to the west, making the river surface look like blood.

"Array up!"

Under the setting sun, accompanied by a military order, eight hundred infantrymen slowly dispersed. The eight centurions at the head each led a team, with large shields and long spears stacked layer by layer, forming a tight and solid military formation.

These eight hundred infantrymen were the most elite troops under Cao Ren's command, and could also be said to be his personal guards.

After Chibi, Zhou Yu took advantage of the great victory and repeatedly attacked Jiangling where Cao Ren was stationed, but was unsuccessful. This infantry unit played a great role.

Looking at the neatly arranged army formation, Cao Ren breathed a sigh of relief: "The Xiling bandit general is undoubtedly brave and valiant, but how could all his men be as brave as him?"

"For example, Lu Bu, who dominated the world in those days, had a man named Gao Shun but he didn't use him, and he eventually died at the White Gate Tower."

His face was extremely pale and he looked very weak. It was obvious that the two strikes from Liu Wu's halberd had caused him considerable damage.

"General, they are coming!" said the guard beside him, pointing to the front.

Hearing the sound, Cao Ren rode forward and saw an infantry troop coming from the direction of Xiling City. He could tell at a glance that there were no more than a thousand people, so at most eight hundred should be safe.

It was a neatly-arranged square battle formation, with soldiers wearing neatly-made armor, slowly advancing forward...

But what made Cao Ren feel strange was that there was not a single shield to be seen in the entire square formation. It was all spears. There were only spears in the entire formation!

"I have a feeling of déjà vu, but I can't remember where it is..." Cao Ren frowned slightly. He always felt that he had seen the enemy's army formation somewhere.

But these insignificant thoughts were soon put behind Cao Ren's mind.

The spear phalanx might be somewhat effective against ordinary enemies or a mob like the Yellow Turban Army back then.

However, his eight hundred soldiers were first-rate elite soldiers. It would be wishful thinking for the enemy general to win with just a spear formation.

"Change!"

Wow! ~
At Cao Ren's command, the eight hundred elite Cao troops surged in formation and slowly extended their wings to both sides.

The biggest drawback of the square battle formation is that only the soldiers on the outermost layer can really cause damage to the enemy. Only when the soldiers on the outer layer fall can the soldiers inside push forward.

Cao Ren's intention was very clear. Once the enemy's spear phalanx connected with his own formation, the two wings of these eight hundred elite soldiers would be like two sharp steel knives, cutting off the outermost soldiers of the Xiling phalanx layer by layer, and then attacking the soldiers inside.

Just like eating fruit, peel the skin first and then eat the flesh, eat this phalanx of spears in an orderly manner!

boom! ~
The general of the spear phalanx on the opposite side did not seem to understand Cao Ren's intention and continued to advance slowly.

The uniform footsteps made a rumbling sound on the ground. In a trance, it seemed that Cao's army was not facing eight hundred spearmen, but a giant with a spear in his hand.

Densely packed spears several feet long were aimed directly at the eight hundred elite Cao troops.

Nearly.

They are getting closer!
The spear tip was flashing with cold light, moving faster and faster, and its momentum was extremely terrifying!
The tragic spirit of death and unstoppable movement rose to the sky.

wrong!

This is definitely not an ordinary spear phalanx!

Cao Ren clenched the whip in his hand suddenly, and he finally realized that something was wrong with the Xiling army formation.

His instinct was warning him that if his army dispersed its strength, it would be defeated even faster!

"Change the formation! Hold on to the main formation!"

Cao Ren immediately made a decision and issued military orders again.

The eight hundred elite soldiers changed their formation again, and the elite soldiers who had originally stretched out on both wings quickly returned to the main formation.

Just when Cao Ren's army formation completed its second change, Xiling's spear phalanx finally pressed forward!
boom! ~
The two armies engage in battle!

"kill!"

The shouts of eight hundred elite Cao troops shook the heavens.

But what greeted them was only the densely packed, coldly shining spear tips that were thrusting towards them from the opposite side!
Poof! ~
This is the sound of a spear piercing flesh.

At the front of the two armies, dozens of spears pierced through the gaps in Cao's shields.

The sharp spear tips pierced through the belly of Cao's army and stabbed into his comrades behind him. Amidst the wailing, each spear took the life of one or even two Cao soldiers.

"kill!"

"Kill all these Xiling thieves!"

Looking at the corpses of his comrades, he fell powerlessly in front of him.

The Cao army that pushed forward from the rear were already blood-thirsty. They roared and thrust out their spears, trying their best to use the large shields in their hands to resist the enemy's attack... Unfortunately, they had little effect.

The spear phalanx continued to push forward slowly but steadily.

The layers of spear tips seemed to have consciousness, moving forward and forward again!

Faced with these monsters that only advanced and refused to retreat, some of Cao's soldiers finally became frightened.

Cao's army began to lose its footing.

Cao Ren, who was watching the battle from the rear, had a grim look on his face. He knew that Cao's army could no longer hold on, and if they continued to fight like this, they would surely be defeated this time.

Xilulu! ~
Cao Ren did not hesitate and personally rode into the central army to supervise the battle. He lashed the soldiers around him with the whip like raindrops: "Hold on! Hold on!"

The commander personally entered the battle line to supervise and encourage the eight hundred elite soldiers, and the morale of the soldiers was greatly boosted.

The originally chaotic situation was stabilized again.

"kill!"

The retreating Cao army once again faced the terrifying forest of spears on the opposite side and charged forward with gritted teeth.

Poof! ~
Blood splattered, and the spear tip, which was originally shining with cold light, was completely dyed black and red by the blood.

Cao's army fought hard and tried to counterattack, but the enemy's spears came like waves, one after another, almost without stopping.

The most terrifying thing is that from beginning to end, the entire spear phalanx has been moving forward and suppressing Cao's army!
After a brief stalemate, Cao's army's position moved backward again uncontrollably.

Cao Ren's forehead was already soaked with sweat. He didn't care about anything else and jumped forward again.

bass! ~
Cao Ren drew his sword from his waist and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Anyone who retreats will be killed!"

"Those who retreat will be killed!"

Cao Ren's horse had already rushed to the front, and there were only two layers of Cao's soldiers between him and the opposite spear phalanx.

He couldn't lose this battle no matter what!

The commander's sharp sword is hanging high above his head. If he takes a step forward, he will die; if he takes a step back, he will also die.

In an instant, all the courage of Cao's army was aroused.

"kill!"

The shouts and cries of killing were earth-shaking, and all Cao's troops roared and pushed forward again.

More and more Cao's soldiers fell in the forest of spears, but more people stood up from behind, and some even threw away their shields and rushed forward with red eyes to stab.

The momentum of Cao's army has reached its peak.

At that moment, they actually blocked the advance of the spear phalanx.

……

In the spear phalanx, where the central army was located, Gao Shun felt that the advance of the entire Xianzhen Camp was blocked.

He didn't say much, but held the spear in his hand and whispered: "Let it go!"

Several rows of soldiers in front instantly moved to the sides, leaving a passage wide enough for one person to pass through.

boom! ~
The next moment, Gao Shun rushed out of the formation.

A flash of cold light came first, and then the spear shot out like a dragon!

"Those who are trapped in the battle will die or not live!"

……

"Those who break into the enemy's formation will either die or live!!!"

Cao Ren, who was supervising the battle in front of the formation, suddenly heard a low roar from the opposite formation.

Before Cao Ren could react, a spear suddenly stabbed at him.
Cao Ren's mount let out a miserable scream, and the cold light suddenly pierced the horse's neck!
The next moment, the spear was raised.

Cao Ren and his horse were lifted into the air by the spear!
All Cao's troops were stunned and they forgot to attack.

They watched helplessly as their commander, along with his horse, fell from mid-air.
At this moment, the Xiling army, which had been silent since the battle, suddenly erupted with a roar like a sea tide;

"Trapped!"

“Break through the formation!!”

"Break through the enemy's formation!!!"

In an instant, the momentum of Cao's army was suppressed.

The entire spear formation suddenly pressed towards Cao's army! It was like a huge sea tide rising into the sky!

Destroying and overwhelming, it is unstoppable!
The Cao army on the opposite side felt their hearts tremble and their courage wavered!

The commander fell off his horse and the enemy pressed forward again.

The Cao army, which was still fighting hard, suddenly lost its morale.

"General Cao Ren fell off his horse!"

"It's over, we lost!"

"Retreat, retreat quickly!"

They were defeated in panic, fleeing for their lives without a care in the world, leaving their spears and shields all over the ground, leaving only the bodies of their dead comrades scattered across the battlefield.

Cao's army lost.

Cao Ren lost!

boom! ~
Cao Ren fell heavily, but fortunately he fell on the corpse of his mount and managed to save his life.

But he no longer cared about the defeat of his army and just stared blankly at the spear phalanx opposite him.

he saw...

He saw the face of the knight who had knocked him off his seat.

It’s Gao Shun!
It was Gao Shun, the main general of the Xianzhen Camp back then!
It was Gao Shun who shot Xiahou Dun's eyes blind with an arrow!

It was Gao Shun who was supposed to die with Lu Bu in Baimen Tower!!

……

In Xiling City, it’s already dark.

The city walls were lit with torches. Just now, Lu Su had hurriedly escorted five thousand Shanyue troops to Xiling.

Lu Xun followed behind Liu Wu and reported: "Five thousand Shanyue are being selected for their young and strong, old and weak, and will be incorporated into the army tomorrow."

"The five thousand Shanyue are still under your supervision for now." Liu Wu walked slowly on the city wall without looking back.

Five thousand Shanyue are definitely a powerful force in Xiling City at this moment.

However, Liu Wu handed over this force from Jiangdong to Lu Xun, who was also from Jiangdong, without hesitation. This trust was invaluable!

Lu Xun knew the weight of this trust, and he bowed deeply to Liu Wu: "Lu Xun, I will live up to the trust of my lord!"

The only thing I can do to repay my lord now is to help him defend Xiling.

Thinking of this, Lu Xun subconsciously looked towards the darkness outside the city. Thirty miles away was the camp of Jiangling's 30,000 troops.

"The lord and Cao Ren fought during the day, and the lord won a great victory." Lu Xun looked worried: "If Cao Ren kept his promise, he should withdraw his troops and return to Jiangling tomorrow morning."

Cao Ren and the lord had an agreement in advance that if he won, the lord would follow him north to Xuchang to serve the thief Cao.

If the lord wins, he will withdraw his troops, and the danger of Xiling will be resolved.

But Cao Ren has 30,000 troops in his hands. He is here to take Xiling on the orders of Cao Ren. Will Cao Ren really keep his promise and withdraw his troops?

The more Lu Xun thought about it, the more uneasy he became. He looked at his lord in front of him and spoke subconsciously: "Cao Ren compared my lord to Lü Fengxian, but it was Lü Fengxian who shot the halberd at the gate of Xuzhou to mediate the dispute between Ji Ling and Liu Bei..."

"But Ji Ling finally accepted defeat and kept his promise to stop making things difficult for Liu Bei. Cao Ren's reputation is higher than Ji Ling's, so I think he will also keep his promise and withdraw his troops, right?"

Lu Xun seemed to be comforting himself, and also seemed to be trying to find the answer from Liu Wu.

Call ~
The evening breeze blew the hair on Liu Wu's temples. He said calmly, "I hope so."

……

Thirty miles away is Cao’s army camp.

Cao Ren’s face was pale and he paced subconsciously in the central military tent.

In broad daylight, he was lifted into the air along with his horse, and fell quite hard. If it weren't for several personal guards around him who risked their lives to rescue him, he might have been a prisoner in Xiling City by now.

But Cao Ren was not thinking about these things at the moment. He was hesitating: "Should I keep my promise?"

"If I don't defend, I'm afraid that I, Cao Zixiao, will be laughed at by the world. But if I really keep my promise and withdraw the troops, how can I explain to the Prime Minister? Moreover..."

And was the person he saw during the day really Gao Shun?
That brave and incomparable thief general.

The spear phalanx resembles the Xianzhen Camp.

And the person who looks like Gao Shun...

The more Cao Ren thought about it, the deeper his frown deepened.

After he sat back at the desk, he picked up a blank bamboo slip and started writing quickly.

He wanted to write a letter to Xiahou Dun, who was blinded by an arrow shot by Gao Shun.

[I, Renyao, bow before Brother Yuan Rang. After receiving the Prime Minister's military order, I did not dare to hesitate for a moment and led my army straight to Xiling. The Xiling bandit general is very brave, and the formation of his soldiers has a faint sense of the style of the past! ]

[There is another one among the traitorous generals, who looks very much like Gao Shun of the past...]

……

It was dawn, and the golden morning sun shone on the top of Xiling City.

In the central army tent, Wei Yan, Gao Shun and Lu Xun gathered together and reported their affairs to Liu Wu.

"The five thousand Shanyue people, old, weak, young and strong, have been selected, and the armies will be organized today."

"The food and grass in the city can still sustain for several months, so there is no need to worry for the time being."

"My Lord, I think we still have too few soldiers. Should we ask Jiangdong for more people?"

Although it is not yet known whether Jiangling's 30,000 troops will return to Jiangling, many affairs in Xiling City can no longer be delayed and must be dealt with by Liu Wu in a timely manner.

Liu Wu was about to speak when suddenly a soldier rushed in in a panic: "My lord! My lord, Cao's army, Cao's army..."

Wei Yan stood up suddenly and asked: "But the Cao army retreated?"

In an instant, several people stared at the soldier closely. They already knew the outcome of yesterday's bet.

Wei Yan and Gao Shun were not afraid of fighting to the death with Cao's army, but for Xiling City at the moment, it would be better not to fight if possible.

The soldier swallowed hard and said, "Cao's army, attack, attack the city!"

Outside Xiling City.

Cao's army surged in from all directions like a tide, as if they were going to submerge the Xiling city!
Flags hunt and hunt, covering the sky and the sun.

Weapons, armor, spears and swords gathered like clouds.

The layers of soldiers rose and fell like huge waves, seemingly able to swallow up everything.

Countless siege weapons were continuously moved towards Xiling City.

Boom, boom, boom! ~
The sound of war drums rumbled, shaking the whole area.

Under the banner of the central army, Cao Ren, wearing a helmet and armor, stood on his horse.

He looked coldly at Xiling City in front of him: "Pass on this general's order..."

"Army, march to Xiling today!!!"

(End of this chapter)