Mythical Qin: I, Gao Yao, will never be a eunuch!

"Look closely, it's the Han-character banner!"

A flicker of doubt crossed Yuwen Lie's eyes: "Han Xin leading the troops personally? Such a small force..." He paced back and forth in thought. "Order the entire army to be on high alert, but not to attack for now. Probe again!"

Half an hour later, the second wave of scouts reported: "The enemy has broken through the first outpost, and the defending troops have suffered more than a hundred casualties!"

"Report! The enemy has broken through the second line of defense and is moving towards Luoying Gorge!"

Yuwen Lie could no longer sit still. He walked to the sand table, staring at the terrain of Luoying Gorge, his brows furrowed. His deputy, Yuwen Chengdu, advised, "General, the enemy's actions are suspicious. They are outnumbered yet dare to break through, and they specifically chose the complex terrain of Luoying Gorge. There might be an ambush."

“How could I not know?” Yuwen Lie said in a deep voice, “But if it is indeed Han Xin leading the troops himself, this is a golden opportunity. If we can capture Han Xin alive, the war in the western border can be settled.” He paused, “Order 10,000 cavalry to be the vanguard, and pursue cautiously. The main force of 20,000 will follow behind, maintaining distance. If ambushed, the vanguard can retreat quickly, and the main force will provide support.”

This arrangement seemed safe, but it played right into Han Xin's hands—Yuwen Lie wanted to seize the opportunity, but he was also worried about an ambush that would lead to the dispersion of troops and a slow response.

At noon, at the eastern entrance of Luoying Gorge.

Han Xin's decoy force has already formed ranks here. In the distance, billowing dust indicates that the vanguard of the Qing Kingdom's cavalry has caught up.

"They're here." Han Xin narrowed his eyes. "Order the vanguard to become the rearguard and retreat slowly. Archers, prepare to fire three volleys on my command, then the entire army will retreat into the canyon."

The order was relayed through the ranks. When the Qing cavalry entered within two hundred paces of firing range, Han Xin brandished his longsword: "Fire!"

Three thousand archers simultaneously released their bows, arrows soaring into the air like a dark cloud, striking the charging cavalry. Men and horses fell in disarray, the charge momentarily halted. But the cavalry, being well-trained, quickly regrouped and charged again.

"Second round! Release!"

"Third round! Release!"

After three volleys of arrows, the Huaxia army began to move towards the canyon. The retreat was orderly, with alternating cover, clearly indicating prior preparation. Yuwen Chengdu, leading the vanguard in pursuit, became even more suspicious upon seeing this: "General, the enemy's retreat is too leisurely; it doesn't seem like a rout."

Yuwen Lie had already arrived with his main force. Upon hearing this, he sneered, "Composed? That's just Han Xin putting on a brave face. Issue the order: the entire army must pursue! We will capture Han Xin today!"

Thirty thousand cavalry surged towards the canyon entrance like a flood. Yuwen Chengdu, at the forefront, suddenly reined in his horse and pointed to the ground: "General, look!"

Scattered on the ground were sacks of grain, clothing, and even several open wooden crates filled with scattered copper coins. Further away, several military flags lay askew in the ground, clearly left behind during the hasty retreat.

"It's a true rout!" Yuwen Lie exclaimed with delight. "Han Xin must have fled in panic upon seeing the overwhelming strength of our army. Pursue! Full speed ahead!"

At this point, all 30,000 cavalrymen had poured into Luoying Gorge. The roads within the gorge were rugged, forcing the cavalry to advance in long columns, greatly slowing their progress. Han Xin's troops, however, seemed familiar with the terrain, moving freely among the rocks and gradually widening the distance between them.

Yuwen Lie grew increasingly impatient, urging the cavalry to speed up. Unbeknownst to him, five thousand pairs of eyes on the mountain ridges on either side of the canyon were coldly watching the cavalry column winding like a long snake below.

In the middle section of Luoying Gorge, there is a slightly open slope.

Cao Can lay prone behind a boulder, his monocular telescope fixed on the view below. From his position, he could clearly see the entire canyon—the vanguard of the Qing Kingdom cavalry had passed the middle section, the central army was passing through, and the rearguard had just entered the canyon.

"Musketeers, prepare," Cao Can ordered in a low voice.

The orders were relayed through flag signals. On both ridges, five thousand musketeers silently moved into their designated positions. They worked in groups of three, one carrying the rifle and two assisting with loading. The barrels were mounted on pre-dug firing ports, the dry grass camouflage blending perfectly into the environment.

In the canyon, Yuwen Lie suddenly felt a pang of fear. He reined in his horse and looked around. The mountain walls on both sides were towering, too steep for even monkeys to climb, and eerily quiet. Only the whistling wind cutting through the canyon and the pounding of his own heartbeat could be heard.

"It's too quiet..." he murmured.

Before he could finish speaking, a deafening roar suddenly came from ahead.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

At the western end of the canyon, thirty cannons roared simultaneously. Solid iron projectiles, trailing white smoke, crashed into the rear of the cavalry, bouncing and tumbling upon impact, obliterating men and horses in their wake. Explosive shells detonated in mid-air, scattering fragments like raindrops.

"An ambush!" Yuwen Chengdu shouted hoarsely, "The rear guard is under attack!"

Almost simultaneously, cannon fire also rang out at the eastern end of the canyon. Twenty cannons blocked the retreat route.

Yuwen Lie's face turned deathly pale: "We've fallen into a trap! All troops, accelerate and break out of the canyon!"

But it was too late.

On either side of the ridge, Cao Can slowly stood up, raised his right hand high, and then slashed down fiercely: "Fire!"

"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Five thousand muskets fired simultaneously, their sounds coalescing into a continuous thunderous roar. Smoke instantly filled the canyon, and lead bullets rained down like a storm. The canyon was narrow, and the cavalry was densely packed; each volley claimed countless lives.

In the first volley of fire, the outermost cavalrymen fell like wheat being harvested. Startled, the horses reared up, throwing their riders off. Before the fallen soldiers could even get up, they were trampled by the hooves of the charging horses behind them.

"Second round! Release!"

The musketeers moved in perfect unison: ejecting spent cartridges, loading gunpowder, pressing lead bullets, tamping them down, aiming, and firing. They had practiced this sequence of actions hundreds of times throughout the Chinese world; they could do it with their eyes closed. The firing intervals were no more than ten breaths, and the barrage of bullets had almost no gaps.

Yuwen Chengdu brandished his spear, deflecting several stray bullets, and roared at the ridge: "Despicable villain! Dare to come down and fight!"

His response was another volley of bullets. A lead bullet struck his left shoulder, piercing his armor like paper. He groaned and nearly fell from his horse.

"General! Let's break through the encirclement up the mountain!" the captain of the personal guards shouted.

Yuwen Lie looked up at the mountain ridge and could vaguely see figures moving through the smoke, but he couldn't make out their exact numbers. He gritted his teeth: "Personnel guard, follow me up the mountain! The rest of you, continue the charge!"

All three hundred guards were martial artists of the fourth rank or above. Upon hearing this, they all used their lightness skills to leap towards the mountainside. However, the mountainside was steep, with nowhere to gain leverage, making it difficult to use their lightness skills. To make matters worse, as soon as they jumped, they became live targets for the musketeers.

"Aim at those that jump!" Cao Can ordered coldly.

A specialized sniper squad turned their guns and unleashed a precise burst of fire, sending the leaping warriors plummeting like birds struck by arrows. A few who did manage to approach the ridge were met with a barrage of rolling logs and boulders.

The massacre continues in the canyon.

After three volleys, the musketeers began firing freely. Lead bullets flew from all directions, leaving nowhere to hide. Blood flowed like streams, trickling along the cracks in the rocks and pooling in the low-lying areas. The dying neighs of warhorses and the screams of wounded soldiers mingled with the sounds of gunfire, creating a hellish symphony.

Yuwen Lie's eyes were bloodshot with rage. Of his 30,000 cavalry, more than half had been killed or wounded, yet they hadn't even seen the enemy. He suddenly remembered Murong Zheng's instructions before the campaign: "Han Xin's military tactics are cunning and unpredictable; never underestimate him."