You have truly caused me great suffering!

Chapter 80 Unrivaled Warrior
As soon as the troops of Jianing Military Command charged forward, they immediately realized that something was wrong.

The people opposite did not seem to have traveled a long distance; they were all full of energy, shouting wildly on horseback with fierce glints in their eyes.

In their eyes, there was not a trace of fear of death, only a desire to achieve great things.

The two cavalry units charged at each other, and the engagement happened in the blink of an eye. The first few dozen riders had already appeared before the Xia army.

The riders on horseback showed no regard for the horse's strength, only pushing forward with all their might. Everyone was shouting at the top of their lungs. Xia's cavalry commander, a veteran himself, knew that this kind of momentum was hard to generate, but once it was, it could be deadly.

Didn't they say that the people who came from here were from the Song Dynasty? How come they have such an imposing presence?

Could it be the White Stick Soldiers? But their weapons don't match!
Before they could think, the two collided head-on, and instantly, the sounds of metal clashing and screams filled the air.

Between Yanzhou and Youzhou, the road is flat, and the wide grasslands are extremely convenient for livestock to travel on.

Because the two prefectures were adjacent, the main force of the Yanzhou troops was not far from the battlefield. Leading the ranks was a silent young Song general.

Even dressed in military uniform and wearing a bright red cloak, he didn't exude much of the air of a military commander; he seemed more like a civil official.

However, his reputation has been growing stronger lately, especially after he strictly enforced the military law of "those who disobey orders will be executed" several times. These newly recruited soldiers have become more cautious.

They admired Chen Shao from the bottom of their hearts because he sent his own trusted men as vanguards instead of letting them fill in the gaps.

The young men among the various Qiang and Hu tribes are natural-born warriors. As long as they strictly obey military orders and undergo the tempering of several major battles, they will become an elite force.

If used properly, it can save a lot of money.

A cavalryman galloped in from afar, pulled on the reins, and spun his horse around in circles, shouting, "Prefect, Commander Han has encountered enemy cavalry ahead and is already engaged in battle!"

"How's the battle going?"

"It is still unknown!"

"Probe again and report again!"

Chen Shao was no longer nervous. From now on, he would fight to win every battle.

If this were the battlefield of Western Xia, there would be back-and-forth battles, and how would they contend with the Liao and Jin dynasties in the future?

He immediately ordered Mezang Pangge to lead the Mezang cavalry to provide support.

On the front lines, the fighting between the two sides has reached a fever pitch.

As Han Shizhong hacked and slashed, he looked around and occasionally swung his sword to give orders.

He slashed at the shoulder of a Xia army captain with his sword, and when he pulled the sword out, the hilt broke off.

The Western Xia army also recognized Han Shizhong as part of this cavalry force, and several cavalry captains immediately surrounded him.

Han Shizhong roared, snatched a long spear, spurred his horse, and charged straight at the enemy. The spear thrust forward, its force spreading, the tip swinging like a living dragon, already drawing a spray of blood from the throat of the armored soldier at the forefront.

Then, without pausing, it charged straight at the men behind it, squeezing through any gaps in its defenses, attacking only where its throat and face were not protected by armor. Surprisingly, none of them could withstand a direct confrontation. They simply tumbled from their horses, which, unable to stop their momentum, continued charging forward, carrying the corpses with them.

This kind of open grassland is extremely suitable for cavalry to perform well. With elite cavalry on both sides, the competition comes down to who is more courageous.

No tactics or skills could be utilized, somewhat like Xiangji Temple during the An Lushan Rebellion in the Tang Dynasty.

Because they were all cavalry, none dared to retreat, lest they be pursued and killed. So despite heavy losses, the troops of the Western Xia Jianing Military Command continued to hold on.

A few people dodged Han Shizhong's first volley of thrusts, passing by him, and before they could react, they rushed toward the soldiers following behind Han Shizhong.

Han Shizhong's personal guards protected the flag bearers, engaging the enemy in fierce combat. Han Shizhong, meanwhile, gripped his spear with one hand, sweeping it back forcefully. As if he had eyes in the back of his head, he only struck their backs with a series of blows. In his hands, the spear possessed the power of heavy cavalry weapons such as hammers, clubs, whips, and copper clubs.

Any opponent who was hit immediately coughed up blood and could not straighten up on their horse. The worst off simply fell off their horse, and not a single one could rush over!
After all, the battle was taking place in the open field, and the reinforcements from the Jianing Military Command arrived quickly. The morale of the Western Xia army soared, and they stabilized their formation. In the distance, a Western Xia general drew his bow and shot an arrow at the guard holding the flag, hitting him squarely in the shoulder.

The guard let out a painful howl. Just as the flag was about to fall, Han Shizhong threw down his rifle, grabbed the flagpole, and raised it up.

"The enemy is about to surround us. Order all units to follow me and maneuver westward!"

All the cavalrymen who had been stationed on the open field gradually turned around following Han Shizhong's central army banner. The various units formed three cavalry teams and began to run, with the "rumble rumble rumble..." sound of hooves growing louder and louder.

Both sides are reinforcing their troops.

No one expected that while a 'sit-in' war was still being fought on the front lines in Yinzhou, the situation here would escalate so quickly.

Looking down at the battlefield, it was like two torrents. Han Shizhong took the lead and gradually increased his speed, rushing out of the encirclement from the west, and then immediately began to flank the Xia army.

He tossed the banner to his personal guards and charged again with his gun.

The Xia army on the west side was unable to turn around in time and suffered heavy casualties. Many of them were stabbed in the back, and their warhorses, now without their masters, neighed and spun around in disarray. The Xia soldiers surging in from behind also seemed to have not expected such a scene, and their formation was thrown into chaos, with only shouts, curses, and cries of alarm.

They had always used cavalry to charge into the Song army's infantry formations, so they were not used to facing cavalry charges head-on.

It wasn't that there weren't brave warriors from Western Xia who wanted to break the chaos and desperately surged towards Han Shizhong. But no matter how skilled their horsemanship, no matter how many times they had survived cavalry charges, they were no match for Han Shizhong.

The Western Xia soldiers were no pushovers either. The Song-Xia war had been ongoing, and they were all experienced warriors, top-notch generals, whom everyone had seen before.

But this is the first time I've seen something this intense.

Han Shizhong had fought many battles before, but he was always the one who helped others succeed, yet he remained the bravest warrior in the army.

Now, every time I swing my gun, it's like adding a stroke to my record of achievements. It's as if I'm divinely inspired, and I never feel tired.

In the central command tent of the Jianing Military Command, Li Yaozong, the garrison commander of Youzhou, stood on a chariot with his left hand on his sword and his head held high.

The crimson cloak behind him billowed in the wind like a great banner. His imposing figure remained motionless, his armored and wielding weapons making him appear extremely imposing.

His eyes were bloodshot. A few days ago, his eldest son, Li Muchen, who was to inherit the family business, went to visit his father-in-law, Wang De, to see relatives.

They actually killed him.

In his eyes, his son was just as resolute as he was, and was also good at both academics and martial arts, and was loved by him since childhood.

Although he has more than twenty sons, none of them are as beloved and cherished by him as Li Muchen.

Therefore, he felt both national hatred and personal grudges when facing this group of Song soldiers from Yanzhou!
Beside him, a Western Xia general observed the situation on the field. The Yanzhou soldiers had already broken out of the encirclement, and it was no longer possible to annihilate them. He said, "Commander Li, this bandit is not only brave, but also very good at seizing opportunities. His timing is precise and flawless!"

"Today's hasty attack was ill-prepared. It would be better to withdraw our troops temporarily, avoid their sharp edge, and gather our forces to march straight for Yanzhou."

"Nonsense!" Li Yaozu's thick eyebrows twitched as he cursed, "A mere thousand or so cavalrymen, and we have to avoid his sharp edge? That's absurd! I'm about to wipe out this traitor, then take the opportunity to rush straight to Yanzhou, flank Tong Guan, and relieve the siege of Xingqing Prefecture."

The young general frowned and said, "I'm afraid the reinforcements from Yanzhou will arrive soon."

In his view, the real battle should take place under the walls of Youzhou City, where his side would have the advantage of terrain.

With our supplies nearly depleted, it's time to leave the city and give them a second chance at success.

"Afraid! You're afraid of your mother!" Li Yaozu kicked him and said, "What reinforcements are there? If you dare to talk about retreating again and disrupt our morale, I'll chop you up."

Suddenly, a powerful bugle call sounded.

In the distance, cavalrymen were gathering and running, the thunderous sound of their hooves full of power.

(End of this chapter)