bookcurios Chapter 1975 Feng Mulan's Determination
Chapter 1975 Feng Mulan's Determination
Feng Mulan was not wearing palace attire, but rather a well-fitting black women's battle armor. The shoulder armor was shaped like phoenix wings, making her look heroic and valiant. Her brows and eyes possessed both the elegance of a woman and a fierce and valiant aura that rivaled any man.
Her face was covered by a light veil, revealing only a pair of bright and sharp eyes. She was none other than the Imperial Noble Consort of Chu, and also the Supreme Commander of the Vermilion Bird Legion—Feng Mulan!
She was worried about Chu Ning's troop deployment and longed to fight alongside His Majesty, so she secretly took command and came herself without Chu Ning's knowledge.
"Reporting to the Imperial Noble Consort!"
The shadowy figure approached the horse, knelt on one knee, and spoke with a slight pant from the rapid gallop, yet his voice was exceptionally clear.
"We have spotted a large enemy camp ten miles ahead!"
Upon hearing this, Feng Mulan frowned slightly beneath her veil and reined in her warhorse: "Explain yourself!"
"After a thorough investigation by your subordinates,"
Xiao Ying spoke faster: "There are about 40,000 enemy troops in the camp! Among them, 30,000 are cavalry from the Golden Scorpion Tribe of the Scorpion Clan, and 10,000 are Tang infantry!"
"Judging from their camp layout and the condition of their soldiers, they must have just finished a long-distance raid and are temporarily resting here!"
"what?"
Even with her strong will, Feng Mulan's pupils constricted upon hearing this, and a look of shock and cold glint flashed in her eyes.
"The Golden Scorpion Tribe? The Tang Army? Forty thousand men? Are you sure?!"
“Absolutely true! We saw it with our own eyes, there’s no mistake!” Xiaoying said with certainty.
Feng Mulan's gaze instantly sharpened like a knife. She looked up at the general direction of the enemy camp, then glanced at her 100,000 elite troops, her mind racing.
"Helian Wujiu's Golden Scorpion Tribe, Zhang Xun's Tang Army... they should be firmly held back by His Majesty at Zhennan Pass right now!"
She muttered to herself, her tone filled with doubt and wariness: "How could I suddenly appear here?"
"Hmph, Li Jing... what a clever trick! His target is Luoxia Mountain!"
In an instant, she realized the key point. The fierce battle at Zhennan Pass was nothing more than a grand performance staged by Li Jing to cover the escape of this surprise force!
After the initial shock, Feng Mulan showed no fear on her face, but instead a cold smile that was a mixture of murderous intent and excitement.
She gently pulled down her veil, revealing a face that was stunningly beautiful but now covered in frost.
"Regardless of why they are here, since they have run into my line of fire, it is their fate to die here!"
Her voice was clear yet carried an undeniable, iron-fisted tone: "Pass on the order!"
"Cavalry in front, archers close behind, the whole army advance at full speed! We must complete the encirclement of the enemy camp before dawn!"
"Furthermore, immediately dispatch a carrier pigeon at an urgent speed of 800 li to report to His Majesty the discovery of 40,000 enemy troops here and the news that our army is about to launch an attack on them!"
"Yes!" the messenger responded with a resounding shout and immediately spurred his horse to the front and rear of the column.
Soon, the already swift-moving Vermilion Bird Legion increased its speed once again!
With thunderous hooves and surging footsteps, like an enraged fiery dragon, it charged towards the sleeping enemy army in the cold winter night, carrying boundless killing intent!
A sudden and unexpected battle is about to erupt fiercely in the darkness before dawn!
In the darkest hour before dawn, the cold wind grows ever more biting.
After days of forced marching, Helian Wujiu and Zhang Xun's 40,000-strong allied army was exhausted. Apart from the necessary sentries and patrols, most of the soldiers were in deep sleep, trying to recover their strength as much as possible before the decisive battle.
The camp was silent except for the sound of the wind, the heavy footsteps of the sentries, and the occasional snorting of warhorses.
However, this silence did not last long.
The first to notice something was wrong were the Scorpion Clan scouts outside the camp.
An old soldier, whose ear was pressed to the ground, suddenly jumped up, his face changing drastically, and shouted in a hoarse voice in the Scorpion Tribe language:
"The ground is shaking! There are lots and lots of horses coming!"
Almost at the same time he issued the warning, countless torches suddenly lit up on the distant horizon.
Like a wildfire that ignites instantly, it quickly spread out and reached the camp at an astonishing speed!
Under the firelight, one could see countless armored cavalry charging forward, followed closely by infantry surging in like a black tide!
“Enemy attack—!!”
The piercing alarm finally shattered the tranquility of the night, like a boulder thrown into a calm lake!
"Clang clang clang clang!!" The urgent sound of gongs rang out frantically throughout the camp.
But, it's too late!
Feng Mulan's military tactics were always known for their lightning speed.
She gave the enemy no time to assemble and deploy!
The 100,000-strong Vermilion Bird Legion, having rested and prepared, pressed down like Mount Tai, completing the initial encirclement and charge deployment the moment they discovered the enemy camp!
"kill--!"
The deafening shouts of battle surged in from all directions like a tsunami, instantly drowning out the allied forces' hasty alarms!
The Vermilion Bird Legion's cavalry, acting as the vanguard, completely ignored the makeshift trenches and fences surrounding the camp, directly ramming the enemy with their warhorses and hacking with swords and axes, tearing through the allied forces' hastily organized first line of defense as easily as a hot knife through butter!
"Don't panic! Form ranks! Form ranks and prepare to meet the enemy!"
Zhang Xun was the first to rush out of his tent. Before he could even put on his armor properly, he roared at the top of his lungs, trying to organize his Tang infantry into a defensive circle.
However, caught off guard and having just been awakened from their sleep, the soldiers were panicked and ran around like headless flies, unable to effectively carry out orders.
Many soldiers hadn't even had time to find their weapons and comrades before the Chu army's iron cavalry had already charged in front of them!
In comparison, the Scorpion Clan cavalry reacted slightly faster.
Helian Wujiu, shirtless and carrying a scimitar, rushed out of the command tent. Seeing the chaotic and dangerous scene before him, his eyes widened in fury.
He roared and called to his personal guards and the nearest cavalry to mount their horses and meet the enemy in the Scorpion Tribe language.
But Feng Mulan's tactics were extremely cunning and ruthless!
After the Vermilion Bird Legion's cavalry charged into the camp, they did not persist in engaging in a protracted battle with the Scorpion Clan cavalry who had already begun to put up sporadic resistance.
Instead, they were like several red-hot daggers, fiercely plunging into the heart of the camp, their target being the Scorpion Clan cavalry who were still in their tents or frantically searching for horses, as well as the piles of grain and supplies!
"Set them on fire! Burn their camp!" the Chu cavalry commander shouted as he charged forward.
Instantly, countless torches were thrown at the tents and haystacks, and the fire spread rapidly with the help of the wind!
Thick smoke billowed and flames soared into the sky, further exacerbating the chaos within the camp.
"My horse! My horse is frightened!"
"Stop them! Stop them now!"
"Form ranks! Move closer to me!"
Zhang Xun's voice was hoarse from shouting, and he managed to gather several hundred Tang infantrymen around him, forming a small hedgehog formation with spears and shields.
But under the surging charge of the Chu cavalry, it was like a small boat in a storm, teetering on the brink of capsizing.