novelAbuy Chapter 142 The Invasion of the Hu People to the South
Chapter 142 The Invasion of the Hu People to the South
Before the shouts and dust from Broken Moon Bay had completely dissipated, ominous dark clouds rolled in from the northern sky. Starfire Fortress was immersed in the excitement of the initial success of the Crescent Moon Formation drill and the increasingly vigilant atmosphere towards the northern frontier when a blood-stained urgent military report pierced this brief, war-prepared calm like an icicle.
The military report came from the "Juma Fortress," the northernmost outpost, carried by three fast horses, two riders per day, day and night, directly to the Starfire Fortress Military Headquarters. The scout who delivered the message was covered in dust, his lips cracked and bleeding. When he collapsed in front of Chen Wei, he was barely alive, but the leather tube he was clutching in his hand was completely undamaged.
"...The Golden Horde...is launching a massive invasion southward! Their vanguard has already crossed 'White Grass Beach' and is less than a hundred li from Juma Fortress! Their forces...are no less than eight thousand cavalry! The White Sheep Tribe...has cavalry to guide them..." The scout finished speaking the last word in fits and starts before collapsing from exhaustion.
Chen Wei's expression changed drastically. He immediately took the leather tube and the unconscious scout and rushed to the main fortress. Chen Xing, Jia Wen, Dian Xiong, and Murong Mingyue quickly gathered in the study, the atmosphere so heavy it seemed as if water could drip from it.
The military report inside the leather tube was more detailed, the handwriting messy yet clear, clearly written under extremely urgent circumstances. According to the desperate reports from the Juma Fort garrison commander and forward scouts: five days ago, Wuzhu, the Great Chieftain of the Golden Horde, gathered over eight thousand cavalry from his own forces and those of newly annexed tribes. Guided by a small number of cavalry from the White Sheep tribe, they marched south from the depths of the grasslands, gathering scattered small tribes along the way, their momentum growing ever stronger. Unlike previous years, they did not disperse and plunder border villages; instead, like a pack of wolves smelling blood, they rushed directly towards Juma Fort, the most prominent point of Xinghuo Fort's northern defense line! Their march was extremely fast, burning several small beacon towers and trading posts that had not yet been evacuated, and abducting a small number of border residents, but without lingering. Their objective was clear—towards the core territory of Xinghuo Fort!
"Eight thousand barbarian cavalry... the Baiyang tribe really did become collaborators!" Dian Xiong's eyes widened, his teeth clenched, and his fists cracked. "These ungrateful wretches! My lord, let me, old Dian, lead the Trapped Camp! I'll make sure they never return!"
Murong Mingyue frowned, her hand unconsciously touching her slightly protruding belly, but her eyes remained sharp: "The Golden Horde is coming with overwhelming force, and with guidance from the White Sheep Tribe, they must have some understanding of the terrain and defensive weaknesses of our border. Although Juma Fortress is formidable, its garrison is less than two thousand strong, mostly infantry, and cannot withstand such a large-scale cavalry siege for long. Reinforcements must be sent immediately!"
Chen Wei quickly marked the approximate location and marching route of the Golden Horde on the map, and said in a deep voice, "Juma Fortress must be held, at least for ten days, to buy time for our main force to assemble and march north. We can immediately draw reinforcements from nearby fortified villages and send a batch of crossbows and arrows there. At the same time, the main force needs to assemble as soon as possible. According to the original plan, the Trapped Camp, the Divine Arm Camp, the main infantry, and General Murong's cavalry all need to march north to meet the enemy."
All eyes finally turned to Chen Xing and Jia Wen. Chen Xing's expression was calm, but a cold flame flickered in his eyes. He looked at Jia Wen: "Wenhe, what do you think?"
Jia Wen had been listening silently, his fingers tapping lightly on the table unconsciously. Now, he raised his narrow eyes, his voice steady yet tinged with a chill: "The Golden Horde's choice to launch a major invasion southward at this time is no accident. First, it is autumn, when the horses are fat and the Hu people are at their strongest. Second, my Xinghuo Fort has just broken through the Black Mountain and expanded eastward. Although our fame has spread far and wide, in their eyes, this is also an opportunity for us to expand too quickly, not to consolidate our foundation, and to make it difficult to manage both east and west. Third, the Baiyang tribe's willingness to be the vanguard must be due to a promise made to Wuzhu, or perhaps coerced by him. This also shows that Wuzhu's ambitions are not small; he may even have the ambition to annex our northern border and even covet the Central Plains."
He paused, then continued, "Their march is swift and they are heading straight for Juma Fortress. They clearly intend to take advantage of the fact that our newly acquired territory is not yet fully defended, and break through our northern gateway in one fell swoop. Then they may either drive straight in and plunder our rich interior, or besiege our stronghold and annihilate our main force in open battle. In any case, their edge is very sharp, and we cannot confront them head-on on the plains."
"The Crescent Moon Formation!" Chen Xing interjected, his gaze falling towards Broken Moon Bay. "This is precisely what we prepared for! The barbarian cavalry excels in open-field warfare, while we will form a defensive formation to blunt their momentum. Once their troops are exhausted, we will launch a counterattack with our elite forces!"
"Your Majesty is wise." Jia Wen nodded. "The Crescent Moon Formation is indeed a good strategy. However, setting up the formation requires time and favorable terrain. Although the Juma Fortress is dangerous, the surrounding terrain is rugged, which is not conducive to the deployment of the large formation, and it is also far from the gathering place of our main force. I believe that we should abandon the Juma Fortress."
"Give up?" Dian Xiong and Murong Mingyue spoke almost simultaneously, their faces filled with incomprehension and resentment.
"It's not a true abandonment, but a strategic retreat." Jia Wen slid his finger across the map from Juma Fortress backwards, landing on a river bend. "Here, the Luo River tributary 'Moon Bay' bends, forming a riverbank highland surrounded by water on three sides, backed by low mountains, with an open front but limited depth. It's the perfect place to set up the Crescent Moon Formation! Moreover, this place is closer to the main force assembly point of Starfire Fortress, making resupply convenient."
He looked at Chen Xing: "We can order the garrison at Juma Fort to hold out for several days, exhausting the morale and arrows of the Hu cavalry. At the same time, we should evacuate the fort's provisions, weapons, and most of the civilians in advance and move them towards Yue'er Bay. Once the Hu cavalry has paid a certain price to break through the empty fort, they will inevitably become arrogant and eager to find our main force for a decisive battle or to plunder further. Our army can then set up positions at Yue'er Bay and wait for them to tire themselves out. In addition, we can send small groups of elite cavalry to constantly harass their supply lines and scattered cavalry, keeping them constantly on edge."
Chen Xing stared at the location of Moon Bay on the map, his mind racing with calculations. Although Jia Wen's proposal meant temporarily abandoning the forward fortress and bearing some losses and public pressure, it would lure the Hu cavalry into the pre-arranged battlefield, fully utilizing the Crescent Moon Formation and their own supply advantages. It was a brilliant strategy of trading space for time and retreating to advance.
"Let's follow Wenhe's plan!" Chen Xing decided. "Chen Wei, immediately issue the following orders: 1. Order the commander of Juma Fort to hold out for at least five days, inflicting heavy casualties on the enemy. After five days, the fort may be abandoned as ordered, and all supplies that cannot be taken away should be burned. The entire force should then retreat to Yue'er Bay! Implement a scorched-earth policy along the way, poisoning wells to leave no supplies for the Hu cavalry! 2. Order Dian Xiong's Vanguard Camp, Shenbi Battalion, and the First and Second Infantry Battalions to immediately begin their march towards Yue'er Bay, arriving within three days." And construct defensive fortifications according to the Crescent Moon Formation! Third, order Murong Mingyue to gather all cavalry, including the Hu people's militia, as a mobile force responsible for covering the civilians' retreat, harassing the enemy, and serving as a flank assault force during the Crescent Moon Formation's counterattacks! Fourth, order Zhao Tiezhu to coordinate the rear's provisions, laborers, and medical supplies to fully support the front lines! Fifth, order Li Shu to dispatch additional scouts to closely monitor the movements of the Golden Horde and the White Sheep tribes, especially any signs of them splitting their forces to plunder or detour!
The series of commands were clear and decisive, and the crowd responded with a resounding roar.
"My lord," Jia Wen added, "I request permission to accompany the army north to assist in military affairs."
Chen Xing looked at him: "Wenhe's health..."
"It's alright," Jia Wen said calmly. "This battle concerns the fate of the North, and I should do my part. Moreover, the Censorate has just been established, so this battle is a good opportunity to supervise military discipline and logistics, and to hone our skills through actual combat."
"Good! Approved!" Chen Xing nodded, then looked at Murong Mingyue, his tone gentle but firm, "Mingyue, you are pregnant and it is not advisable for you to personally lead the charge in battle. Cavalry harassment can be entrusted to a capable deputy general. You will accompany the central army, responsible for coordinating the various units and stabilizing the rear."
Murong Mingyue bit her lip, a hint of resentment flashing in her eyes, but looking at Chen Xing's concerned and resolute gaze, she finally nodded slowly: "Mingyue... as you command."
Military intelligence is urgent, and orders are paramount. After a brief period of internal affairs development and border skirmishes, the massive war machine of Starfire Fortress has sprung into action with even greater efficiency, aiming both its spearhead and its formidable shield at the billowing dust sweeping in from the north.
The smoke of war has already risen over Juma Fortress, and fortifications at Moon Bay are being hastily constructed. On the vast northern plains, a clash that will determine the future is inevitable. The bugle call of the barbarian cavalry invading the south seems to be faintly heard, intertwining with the drums and gongs of Xinghuo Fortress preparing for battle, creating a solemn prelude.