Finest Servant

Chapter 314

Chapter 314 Surprise Attack

Seeing the path before them blocked, and the elite cavalry ambushed, the infantry battalion behind the cavalry fell into immediate panic. With all their might, they frantically surged forward. They were well aware that only by joining with the cavalry ahead could they possibly turn the tide of their impending defeat.

Before Li Tai's army had set out, they had been rigorously training in this field. The food and fodder in the center were ample enough to feed tens of thousands of warhorses for several days. Such abundant resources were picked up as an easy gain by General Lin, who lit it ablaze with a single cannon shot. The fire grew fiercer, trapping thousands of infantrymen outside the blazing circle. Extinguishing it wasn't as simple as it might have seemed.

"Now this is how you wage war," Hu Bugui said, his ferocity ignited. He didn't care that his opponents were also the elite of Great Hua. With a lift of his long saber, he cried out, "Brothers, charge!"

His five hundred cavalrymen, like a whirlwind, rushed forward. They were the handpicked warriors of Hu Bugui, having been tested in numerous battles. Their fierceness was beyond question, and the saying 'one against three' wasn't an exaggeration in their case.

Su Mubai's cavalry was also Great Hua's finest, but they had taken a heavy blow today. Almost half their numbers had fallen without even engaging in combat, they were a weary and dispirited group, their fighting strength significantly diminished. Despite the desperate resistance under the leadership of their commanding officer, they were no match for Hu Bugui's men. Fresh and high-spirited, Hu Bugui's five hundred cavalrymen charged, felling the opposing cavalry like a gust of wind sweeping away fallen leaves. Even though they hadn't exposed their spears or unsheathed their swords, in cavalry combat, to be knocked off one's horse meant defeat.

Though young, Li Wuling, the direct grandson of Li Tai, stubbornly followed Hu Bugui and Xu Zhen into battle, rushing as the third in line. He plunged into the enemy lines, spear stabbing and sweeping aside foes, quickly toppling two men. His formidable prowess was a testament to his reputation as the young tiger of his family.

As the combat on Hu Bugui's side was nearing its end, Du Xiuyuan shifted his gaze to the infantry on the opposite side, and exclaimed in surprise, "General Lin, the enemy troops are about to cross the burning field."

The burning fodder spread incredibly quickly, leaving the three thousand infantrymen no time to extinguish it. They merely managed to block the fire on both ends, creating a narrow passage in the middle. Thousands of troops passed through this passage to assist their cavalry.

Lin Wanrong took a distant look, spotting the thousands of infantry with their gleaming weapons, like a rolling black line charging toward them. He chuckled, lightly fanning himself with his feather fan, "Five times the soldiers can assault a city. Now, we're fighting on a plain. Even though Su Mubai is the main attacker, there's no need for him to use five times the soldiers! This top scholar brother is quite cautious."

Seeing General Lin's relaxed and carefree expression, Du Xiuyuan wondered what plan he had in mind. But he couldn't ignore the fact that the enemy infantry were accumulating rapidly, most of them had already crossed the burning field, assembled into formations, and were advancing in an orderly manner.

One had to admit, Su Mubai's warfare strategies, every move and every action, were deeply rooted in the doctrines of military strategy. The formation of the three thousand infantry was tight, capable of both attacking and defending, displaying a deep understanding of military strategy. It seemed that the Top Scholar brother had indeed studied military strategy diligently.

"Brother Du, tell me, has all of Su Mubai's infantry arrived?" Lin Wanrong asked with a smile.

Du Xiuyuan squinted and reported, "General, over half of the three thousand troops have crossed."

Lin Wanrong nodded, glancing over at the cavalry led by Hu Bugui. The intense battle was nearing its end, with most of the enemy cavalry unhorsed, only a few were still desperately struggling. Warhorses were chaotically scattered, running in all directions, causing much disorder.

General Lin raised an eyebrow and bellowed, "Where is Du Xiuyuan?"

Finally, finally, he was called. Du Xiuyuan felt a tightening in his heart and quickly saluted, loudly responding, "Your servant is here!"

"Lead four hundred infantry to assist Hu Bugui in rounding up the enemy's cavalry horses. Gather any that can still breathe and that have not broken a leg directly in front of the enemy lines. Hand them over to Li Sheng."

"Understood," Du Xiuyuan excitedly replied. Although he did not know what General Lin wanted with these warhorses, seeing the smile between his brows, Du Xiuyuan intuitively felt that the general already had a plan.

The primed four hundred infantry, under Du Xiuyuan's lead, rapidly rushed toward the site of the cavalry battle. Having kept General Lin's instructions in mind, the soldiers rushed to catch the reins of the rampant warhorses in the field. The horses, startled by the fire, were highly unsettled. It took a considerable effort to gather them all, but each soldier ended up leading two horses. With men shouting and horses neighing, it was quite lively.

Hu Bugui, true to his claim of one against three, had quickly reduced the enemy cavalry to a single commander. A blow from the back of Hu Bugui's broad knife sent the enemy leader tumbling from his horse. The leader rolled on the ground, but when he rose, he was glaring angrily, evidently unconvinced of his defeat.

Hu Bugui laughed loudly, "Liu Guoxuan, do you admit defeat?"

Liu Guoxuan glared, "You launched a surprise attack with your cannons, using cunning tricks. I, Liu Guoxuan, do not accept. If you have the guts, fight me in a fair battle."

Hu Bugui sneered, "You have five thousand men to encircle our one thousand, and you have the audacity to talk about cunning tricks? If I were the one unhorsed today, would you still be talking about cunning tricks?"

Liu Guoxuan’s face showed a touch of shame, and he fell silent. Lin Wanrong shook his head as he watched. The man was certainly straightforward, but the battlefield was no place for only bravery. Sure, it sounded good to say everyone was open and straightforward, but could war be waged like that?

"Reporting to the general, the enemy cavalry has been annihilated. Awaiting your next orders," Hu Bugui reported enthusiastically, riding up to Lin Wanrong.

Lin Wanrong nodded, only to see Li Sheng also riding up from afar, reporting, "Reporting to the general, our Divine Machine Unit is ready. We are waiting for your command."

Lin Wanrong gave a slight smile and nodded in acknowledgment. Hu Bugui curiously asked, "Li Sheng, what did the general ask you to do?"

Li Sheng had hit the pile of grain in the center with his cannon today, dead center, which was a first-rate achievement. He was feeling quite pleased with himself. Hearing Hu Bugui's question, he laughed and said, "The secrets of the Divine Machine Unit cannot be revealed. If you want to know, ask General Lin."

His admiration for General Lin could no longer be described simply as respect. General Lin was almost a deity, a master of foresight and preparation. He had organized numerous resources in advance, and now, every one of them could be put to use. Although Li Sheng greatly respected General Lin, he had not foreseen that General Lin's principle of 'preparation for the unforeseen' would be brought into play even if the enemy numbered just a thousand. The mantra of General Lin was simple: prefer lying to sitting, use any means at your disposal, and opt for the simplest way.

Lin Wanrong scanned the scene before him. He saw that Du Xiuyuan and his soldiers had gathered around eight hundred war horses, all waiting for his command.

General Lin smirked and leaped onto his horse. His clothes billowed in the wind, and he waved his fan nonchalantly. He exuded a remarkably free and easy demeanor. "Brother Hu, Brother Li, shall we join Brother Du?" No sooner had the words left his mouth than he spurred his horse and took the lead, heading towards Du Xiuyuan and the others.

—---

"The infantry of Su Mubai has crossed the fire line and still holds an overwhelming advantage. General Li, what are your thoughts on the upcoming battle?" The Emperor asked, gazing into the distance with a mild smile playing on his lips. His eyes were a sea of tranquility, giving nothing away about his thoughts.

"Numerical superiority does not necessarily equate to situational advantage. Lin San has managed to cause a significant loss to Su Mubai's elite cavalry, while losing less than a hundred men. His military strategy is unpredictable and no one can discern his next move. I fear it won't be easy for Su Mubai to turn the tide." Li Tai, a veteran strategist, analyzed the situation clearly, earning nods of agreement from everyone present. Xu Wei sighed inwardly, amazed at Lin San's unconventional strategies and endless surprises.

"However—" Li Tai's words took a turn, expressing his annoyance. "This young man is lawless. He dared to fire the cannon in front of the Emperor and burn the grains that were meant to feed our army's horses for several days. It's infuriating. If it wasn't for the fact that his conduct in the battle is acceptable, I would have surely disciplined him severely."

No one dared to respond. It was clear to the insightful ones among them that while Li Tai appeared to be blaming Lin San, he was actually defending him, taking advantage of the Emperor's good mood.

The Emperor chuckled, "If he wins today's battle, I'll pardon him. But if he loses and has also burnt my grains, well then, old general, you may deal with him strictly."

"Your Majesty is wise!" Xu Wei was the first to respond, saluting hastily. The Emperor laughed heartily, only for Xu Wei to add, "However, there's something I don't understand."

"Speak!"

Xu Wei paused briefly, stealing a glance at the Emperor's face before gently saying, "Today's duel between the two sides was intended to be a demonstration, yet Su Mubai has arbitrarily mobilized his troops. This, this...is quite against the rules."

"No, no." Li Tai shook his head, "Brother Xu, you do not know the full story. Today's military exercise was set up by me to assess Su Mubai, it had already been explained, he is the commander of this field. Today, on the training ground, there are tens of thousands of soldiers, apart from those led by Lin San, the rest were all at his disposal. Assembling five thousand soldiers on the spot was not overstepping his authority. In fact, if he wished, all these soldiers could have been used. Su Mubai studied military tactics extensively, his formations were insightful, and he could adapt on the fly. Attacking with five times the soldiers, it was just the right proportion for our Great Hua to fight against the northern nomads, a steady and mature move. To use an exercise as a proxy for war, it was targeted, he can be regarded as a promising talent. The battle today was also noteworthy, had it not been for Lin San, victory would have been within reach."

Li Tai, as the pillar of the country, loyal and honest, spoke straightforwardly. He did not favor Su Mubai, nor did he assist Lin San. His words made everyone nod in agreement.

The Emperor laughed heartily, "So Lin San unknowingly played the role of the northern nomads, I suppose it's a bit unfair to him. Having a Su Mubai and adding an even more mysterious Lin San, the country has talents, and they are young and promising, this is a blessing for our Great Hua."

—---

Within a round trip, all three thousand foot soldiers from the opposite side had already crossed the line of fire, followed by five hundred cavalry, Su Mubai's reserves. Over three thousand people, a black mass, rushed toward Lin San's army.

Su Mubai, on horseback, looked at the formation of Lin San in the distance. Four hundred foot soldiers stood in the front, followed by five hundred elite cavalry. Amidst the gray sea of armor, there was a man in a white robe, none other than Lin San. This was not because Lin San stood out, but because he wore a striking white robe, a feather fan in his hand, eye-catching. It was quite difficult not to see him.

"Where are the archers?" Su Mubai asked sternly.

Several sharpshooters from the Divine Machine Unit had already aimed their arrows at Lin San. But at this moment, the distance between the two armies was considerable, and that man in the white robe was like a fluttering butterfly among the soldiers, never stationary, how could they aim at him accurately?

Looking at the open plain between the two armies, a hint of a smile finally appeared on Su Mubai's gloomy face. Just now, Lin San had played a trick and seized the initiative to win the first round, which was unspeakably frustrating. ‘Now, my numbers still significantly exceed yours, let's see what tactics you have left?’

Lin Wanrong rested his hands on his brow, the black horse beneath him pacing back and forth. He examined the scene for a moment and said, "Huh, why can't I see Su Mubai, The Top Scholar General?"

Hu Bugui laughed, "If you could see him, he'd be an easy target for the sharpshooters. A commander in the army should not show himself so casually."

‘Damn, he's as cunning as me.’ The man in the white robe shook his feather fan lightly, looking like a scholar, and laughed flirtatiously, "Fair point, fair point. No wonder I can't see the guy's face. Brothers, are you all ready?"

The commanders responded in unison, the man in the white robe chuckled, cupped his hands around his mouth, and shouted, "General Su, General Su, are you there? If you are, answer me, let's chat before we fight—"

His internal strength was not weak; his voice, full of vigor, traveled far. Su Mubai glanced over, only to see that the man in the white robe, Lin San, was calm and composed. There was a gentle smile on his face and an unspeakable flamboyance in his continuously moving feathered fan.

"General, Lin San is calling out. Should we respond?" A staff officer whispered at Su Mubai's side.

Su Mubai shook his head slightly, "In a standoff between two armies, the braver one prevails. At this moment, the field between us is open without any supply resources. His old trick can't be used again. It's a diversion, I suspect he's plotting something. Send my command: the infantry should change from vertical formation to horizontal, maintaining distance, and charge at the enemy – now!"

"Charge!" Like a tide rising, three thousand infantrymen stormed towards the opposing army. Dust flew everywhere, giving them the appearance of a swarm of locusts in the fields.

Lin Wanrong might not be well-versed in military strategy, but observing the orderly and precise charge of Su Mubai's infantry, he acknowledged the man's skill. He spurred his horse to the forefront of the formation, scanned the battlefield, and as the enemy forces neared, he spread his cloak, pointed his feathered fan forward, and commanded with great authority, "Listen to my command, infantry scatter, cavalry to the front, Hu Bugui, lead the cavalry – charge!"

The infantry swiftly parted, leaving a wide pathway for Hu Bugui's cavalry. Hu Bugui bellowed, "Where is the horse herd?" As soon as his voice fell, the noise of hooves rang out from behind. More than eight hundred warhorses, collected by Du Xiuyuan and corralled by the cavalry, charged forward. The horses, in various colors and of robust physique, were excellent runners. They charged like a floating cloud, swiftly advancing.

Su Mubai's face changed. Despite all his calculations, he hadn't anticipated this move from Lin San. The charge of a thousand horses would be enormously powerful. Even his three thousand men would struggle to resist such an onslaught.

"Change formation, form vertical ranks!" Su Mubai shouted, passing the orders with urgency. Still, a sliver of hope lingered in his heart – the horses were not yet at full charge, their speed still manageable.

Before he could gather his thoughts, a series of crackling sounds echoed. Smoke rose from the rear of the charging horses, and their neighing intensified. They broke into a mad sprint, charging forward recklessly.

"Change formation, change formation!" Su Mubai shouted, his face pale. Was Lin San some reincarnated deity? How was he capable of such unpredictable strategies?

The horses, neighing in unison, galloped at incredible speed, far beyond what any human could achieve. Before Su Mubai's infantry could adjust their formation, the crackling sounds were already upon them. The oncoming horses treated the soldiers in front of them as nothing more than dirt, charging relentlessly forward. Su Mubai's proud formation was trampled and scattered to the wind. Soldiers fell, armor flew everywhere, and some were even trampled by the horses. In an instant, Su Mubai's army looked like a field after a wildfire, a sight of utter destruction.

"Charge, cavalry! Quickly, dismount!" Amid the chaos, Su Mubai bellowed. The five hundred cavalrymen, kept as reserves by his side, were his last straw. Yet, the soldiers, driven into panic by the galloping warhorses, had blocked the cavalry's way forward in an instant. Behind him was the blazing fodder; the cleared path could not possibly accommodate the retreat of three thousand men and horses at once. The large number of troops, once his advantage, had now become his greatest burden.

The young general clad in white laughed and shook his head, igniting a thin firecracker. Lighting the string of fireworks in his hand, he threw them. After the loud cracks and pops, his black horse was so frightened that it neighed loudly and reared, almost throwing him off. Cold sweat broke out on Lin Wanrong, "Goodness, this thing is so powerful. Damn, I am truly a genius. Who else could have thought of tying fireworks to a horse's tail?"

The commanders behind him were both amused and impressed. This General Lin was bold and daring. Was there anything in the world that could stump him?

The rest was much simpler. Without waiting for General Lin's orders, Hu Bugui, Du Xiuyuan and others had already led their soldiers in the charge. The three thousand infantrymen had been scattered by the thousand warhorses, leaving few organized units. Only Su Mubai's reserve of five hundred elite cavalrymen remained intact. Adding the remaining infantrymen scattered around, they totaled less than fifteen hundred. With their morale low, how could they stand a chance against General Lin's fierce army?

The white-robed young general was at the forefront of the charge, wielding a blunt blade in his hand. With each rise and fall of his sword, a few men were toppled from their horses. His style was indeed dashing and attractive. Su Mubai's last five hundred elite cavalrymen were extremely resilient, but Hu Bugui and the others finally broke them after some struggle. Su Mubai, his face deathly pale, stood in the center. He no longer cared about the danger of being slashed and killed, looking at Lin Wanrong, he said, "Brother Lin, you truly are skilled. However, if we were to fight again, I, Su Mubai, will not lose to you."

"War, you see, it has its victories and defeats. It's perfectly normal," Lin Wanrong laughed. "I rather think that the joy of yesterday's garden tour and discussing orchids is much more pleasant. What do you think, Brother Su?"

—---

"Su Mubai has been completely defeated," Xu Zhiqing sighed deeply, a strange feeling rising in her heart. This Lin San's army tactics were irregular, seemingly using the most unconventional methods. It was hard to find strategies from him that fit the textbooks of military tactics, but he always won. If once was a coincidence, then every time like this spoke of real skill. She asked herself, there was nothing wrong with Su Mubai's disposition today. In fact, from the beginning, his surprise attack had seized the initiative, earning him praise. The later rout, not only did she not expect, but few people on the city tower could predict the outcome. What was the reason for this? If it was her who had to face Lin San in battle, what would the result be?

Few among them could have predicted such an outcome. Originally, they were to fight three battles, but after just two, Su Mubai had been captured by Lin San. The third battle was not needed at all. The scene unfolding before them left them dumbfounded, struggling to find words.

"Surprise attack? What is a surprise attack? This is a surprise attack!" The Emperor sighed softly with his eyes closed. Then, opening his eyes and sweeping them fiercely around, he laughed loudly. "Good, today's battle has allowed me to witness two young heroes. Su Mubai is well-versed in military strategies and excels in battle tactics. Lin San remains calm in the face of danger, and his surprise tactics reveal the bearing of a great general. I am greatly comforted to have such talents in our Great Hua Empire."

"My thousand warhorses!" Li Tai, standing on the city wall, saw the fireworks tied to the horse's rear and felt a pang in his heart. Training warhorses was no easy task, and it would take a considerable time to rear these thousand horses again for military use. Xu Wei, understanding his thoughts, laughed and patted his shoulder, saying, "General Li, do not fret. Having a general like this is better than having thousands of horses."

"If we could have this general and a thousand warhorses, that would be even better," the old general said discontentedly.

The two of them burst into laughter. Li Tai looked at Xu Wei and said, "Brother Xu, I entrust this matter of Lin San to you. No matter what means you employ, you must bring him into our army."

"The old general need not hurry." Xu Wei laughed, "From what I see, someone is even more anxious than you."

The two exchanged a knowing smile, and when they covertly glanced at the Emperor, they saw his gaze, profound and far-reaching, fixed on the two young heroes in the distance, utterly entranced.

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