Chapter 673

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The strong wind stirred up dust on the battlefield, tinting the sky yellow.

The allied forces, consisting of the Huainan Army, the Yong Army, and the Western Expeditionary Army, advanced step by step towards the Zhao Army’s camp.

Deng Yuan concentrated 50,000 infantry in the center and 50,000 cavalry on both wings, forming a battle array of 100,000 troops in front of the camp.

Suddenly, a series of urgent bugle calls for charge rang out.

The sound came from Juyong Pass. This was the signal to launch an attack on the Zhao army.

Qi Guangyi and Bai Mu each led 20,000 troops to protect the flanks. The central formation was composed of musketeers from the Western Expeditionary Army, while the Huainan Army and the Yong Army were responsible for close combat during engagement.

Outnumbering the enemy, the Western Expeditionary Army’s morale was high. The soldiers of the Western Expeditionary Army, the Huainan Army, and the Yong Army were all filled with the conviction of victory.

“Boom, boom, boom…”

The war drums of the Zhao army pounded, and 100,000 Zhao army soldiers marched in unison towards the Western Expeditionary Army.

Luo Xin had already dispatched some artillerymen to establish artillery positions outside the city. As the two armies drew closer, these artillerymen continuously unleashed shells into the Zhao army’s formation.

“Ah…”

Screams continuously rose from the Zhao army. Solid shot and explosive shells from the Western Expeditionary Army’s artillery simultaneously caused casualties among the densely packed Zhao army soldiers and horses.

Facing the artillery attack, Deng Yuan was helpless. If they were to disperse into smaller formations at this point, they would surely be slaughtered by the enemy’s dense formations.

The principle that battle formations must not be broken on the battlefield was understood by every general.

However, for the Zhao army, this was just the beginning. When they were 400 meters apart, the artillery suddenly switched to grapeshot.

This type of shell had the ability to inflict mass casualties on the enemy on the battlefield, but its range was only four to five hundred meters.

“Fire!” an artillery general shouted.

“Boom, boom, boom…” With a series of roars, the front ranks of the Zhao army, covered by artillery fire, fell like mown wheat.

Finally, facing the sharp lethality of firearms, the front of the Zhao army fell into confusion.

Deng Yuan gritted his teeth, watching all this. He had already foreseen that this war would be a desperate one. During the siege, he had gradually understood the power of firearms in the hands of the Western Expeditionary Army.

The chaos of the Zhao army was noted by Niu Ben. A smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

Then he drew the saber from his waist and pointed it directly at the Zhao army.

Suddenly, the bugle call for charge blared loudly, and battle flags fluttered in the strong wind. The cavalry on both wings, led by Qi Guangyi and Bai Mu, charged first. The central army, composed of the Western Expeditionary Army, the Huainan Army, and the Yong Army, advanced with neat strides, like towering mountains, pushing forward.

“Kill!”

“Kill!”

Every time they advanced five steps, the army would shout “Kill!”, their morale soaring, composed and unhurried.

The two sides drew closer. At this point, the cavalry on both wings also roared in response. The Zhao army’s center, composed of matchlock musketeers, also advanced steadily.

“Bang, bang, bang…”

Finally, the two armies met. Relying on the advantage of distance, the Western Expeditionary Army fired first.

The Zhao army’s musketeers suffered heavy casualties before they could even open fire, and their formation immediately fell into chaos.

Although some matchlock musketeers continued to advance, their dispersed formation could no longer pose a threat to the Western Expeditionary Army.

Braving the Western Expeditionary Army’s fire, the remaining musketeers reached firing range and began to shoot at them.

Sporadic gunshots rang out, and only dozens of Western Expeditionary Army soldiers fell.

The Western Expeditionary Army then continued to advance. At a distance of fifty meters, they fired another volley, and a large swath of Zhao troops immediately fell.

This strike basically crippled the Zhao army’s musketeers, and the remaining musketeers immediately scattered.

“Kill!”

The distance of fifty meters had reached the range for both sides to charge. The Western Expeditionary Army immediately fixed their bayonets. At this moment, the Zhao army’s shieldmen were already charging towards them.

A booming, muffled sound echoed through the valley, like a furious wave crashing against a shore. At the moment of contact, swords clashed, emitting fierce impacts.

Bayonets and spears clashed, sabers and scimitars flashed. A dense rain of arrows, like locusts, covered the sky. Furious shouts of “Kill!” and screams before death filled the entire battlefield.

“Prince Zhao’s military training is quite capable.” Niu Ben surveyed the entire battlefield, continuously using flag signals to command the chaotic Western Expeditionary Army to change their direction of attack and battle formations.

Although his words praised the Zhao army, a victorious smile had already appeared on his face.

Under the bombardment of cannons, the Zhao army had already lost many men and horses. Coupled with the musketeers’ firing, they had lost one-tenth or two-tenths of their forces before even engaging in close combat.

At this time, the engaged Zhao army was already overstretched.

And the Black Armored Iron Cavalry, reputedly the elite of the Zhao army, were also entangled by Qi Guangyi and Bai Mu. The long period of warfare had turned Qingzhou’s cavalrymen into seasoned veterans. At this moment, they were giving the Black Armored Iron Cavalry no quarter. The two sides fought to a draw, neither gaining an advantage.

However, this meant that the Zhao army, having lost the cooperation of the Black Armored Iron Cavalry, scattered even faster.

The central army, under the absolute superior attack of the allied forces, soon could not hold out, and soldiers began to rout and flee.

“Assistant Minister Wang, this is what you wanted to see, isn’t it?” Deng Yuan sat on his horse. The tide had turned, and he was powerless to reverse it.

Wang Xi’s face was pale. He was both shocked and angry. “How can 100,000 men be so easily defeated? These are all the elites of my Zhao army!”

Prince Zhao’s insistence that Deng Yuan not retreat was partly to capture Juyong Pass, and partly due to his confidence in the Zhao army.

Now, the scene of the army’s devastating defeat made Wang Xi somewhat stunned.

“The Zhao army is elite, but Prince Qi’s army is no pushover. This general repeatedly reminded Assistant Minister Wang, but Assistant Minister Wang ignored it, insisting on fighting them under Juyong Pass. The responsibility for this defeat lies entirely with Assistant Minister Wang.”

“Nonsense! This is all due to your poor command, Deng Yuan!” Wang Xi roared furiously, but Deng Yuan no longer paid him any mind, instead ordering the retreat horn to be blown.

Wang Xi no longer dared to stop him. He mounted his horse and fled with Deng Yuan towards Yuanzhou.

The Black Armored Iron Cavalry, hearing the horn, immediately galloped back. However, Qi Guangyi and Bai Mu held on tightly, pursuing them for five li before turning back to pursue the Zhao army’s infantry. Only when the sun set did they gallop back to Juyong Pass.

By then, the Prince of Huainan and Chen Xinran had already entered Juyong Pass ahead of them. After their great victory, they saw the troops stationed outside the city, and the small Juyong Pass was enough to accommodate the Western Expeditionary Army.

“This great victory makes this king very happy. Thinking of Prince Zhao’s exasperation, this king is pleased, haha…” The Prince of Huainan laughed incessantly in Niu Ben’s tent.

Cui Shang’an said, “Prince Zhao often spoke contemptuously of Imperial Father when he was in Chang’an. This time, we can be considered to have avenged ourselves.”

Chen Xinran echoed with a smile. He said to Niu Ben, “General Niu, having received orders to come this time, what are His Imperial Majesty’s instructions?”

Niu Ben put away his smile, picked up his saber, and pointed towards Chang’an, saying, “Now, we must seize the victory, break through Hulao Pass, and enter Chang’an City! This is the imperial decree His Imperial Majesty has given to this subordinate.”