si-mexico Chapter 1983: 2 vs. 5?
Chapter 1983: 2 vs. 5?
The Blackwater Valley has experienced significantly less rainfall this year due to unfavorable weather conditions.
The riverbed, which should have been swiftly flowing, is now largely dry, revealing a wide riverbed covered with pebbles and cracked silt.
Only a few thin streams remained in the very center, reflecting a faint light in the afternoon sun.
The towering earthen slopes and sparse shrubs on both sides form a natural gateway, making it a strategically important and ideal place to ambush and block the enemy.
Xue Dingshan led 20,000 elite cavalrymen, and after a night and half a day of rapid march, exhausted men and horses, they finally arrived at the place ahead of everyone else.
The horses' hooves pounded the hard, dry riverbed, making a dull thud and kicking up clouds of dust.
"General, the scouts have reported back!"
A bodyguard led the scouts to Xue Dingshan's horse.
Xue Dingshan reined in his warhorse. His young and handsome face showed signs of fatigue from the long march, but his eyes remained as sharp as an eagle's.
Without dismounting, he asked directly, "What's the situation? Are there any traces of enemy troops passing through the valley, upstream and downstream?"
The scouts, kneeling on one knee, reported with certainty:
"Reporting to the General, I have already led men to thoroughly investigate the area within ten miles upstream and downstream."
"On the riverbed, apart from animal tracks and traces of past water flow, no large groups of people or horses were found, especially fresh hoofprints of cavalry!"
"It can be concluded that no Tang army passed through this area before us!"
Upon hearing this news, Xue Dingshan's tense nerves finally relaxed a little.
His biggest fear was that he would go through all that trouble to take a long detour only to find that the Tang army reinforcements had slipped past unnoticed.
He would then be ashamed to face his father's trust and would further jeopardize the entire battle.
He let out a soft breath, deftly dismounted, and moved with agility.
He walked to the edge of the riverbed, squatted down, and personally used his hands to remove the surface soil to carefully examine the soil and stones underneath.
Indeed, as the scouts had said, there were no signs of large-scale trampling by troops or horses sinking deep into the mud.
"Fortunately, I caught up."
Xue Dingshan stood up, dusted off his hands, and a look of relief appeared on his face.
He looked up at the sky, then surveyed the terrain on both sides of the valley, his eyes beginning to gleam with calculation and planning.
Now that we have gained the upper hand, the next step is to use this advantageous terrain to deliver a crushing blow to the approaching Tang army and pin them down here!
"Send the order!"
Xue Dingshan's voice regained its usual clarity and decisiveness: "All troops, listen to my command! Immediately take cover on the earthen slopes on both sides of the valley!"
"Lead the horses to the woods behind the slope, gag them, and make no noise!"
He strode up to a higher earthen slope on the left and pointed to several key positions: "Archers, occupy the high points on the east and west sides, prepare enough arrows, and only fire when I give the order!"
"The cavalry was divided into three parts. One part followed me and hid behind the eastern slope, serving as the main force for the assault."
"One unit will be hidden behind the bushes on the west side, and will attack from the flank when the enemy is halfway across or when their formation is in disarray."
"The third unit, as a reserve force, will lie in ambush behind the rocks at the valley exit to cut off the enemy's retreat and also to guard against the enemy's desperate breakout!"
"Set up numerous tripwires and chevaux-de-frise in the narrowest parts of the riverbed! Be quick, and make sure everything is in place before the enemy arrives!"
As Xue Dingshan issued his orders, the 20,000 cavalrymen quickly sprang into action.
They truly lived up to their reputation as Xue Huaide's elite troops; despite their long journey, their execution was exceptionally strong.
Soldiers, leading their warhorses, silently disappeared into the pre-designated area, while archers, like nimble lynxes, swiftly climbed the steep slopes to find the best firing positions.
The entire ambush setup was being carried out in a tense but orderly manner.
Apart from the occasional faint metallic scraping and footsteps, the valley quickly returned to its previous silence, as if no one had ever been there.
Xue Dingshan stood atop the slope, his figure obscured by dense bushes.
He gazed into the distance at the path the river valley had taken, silently calculating the time and deducing the possible formations of the Tang army and the best time for his side to launch an attack.
On his young face, there was both the nervousness of commanding a major battle independently for the first time and an excitement and desire to make a name for himself.
Time passed slowly as they waited. About half an hour later, just as the ambush was about to be fully set up, a series of rapid but light hoofbeats came from afar!
A scout sent to scout further away was seen rushing towards them at top speed from the direction of the valley entrance, his face filled with undisguised panic!
The scout didn't even have time for his horse to come to a complete stop before he practically tumbled off the saddle and scrambled down the slope where Xue Dingshan was, panting heavily and his voice trembling: "General! Something terrible has happened! The Tang army... the Tang army is here! A large force has appeared ten miles away!"
finally come!
Xue Dingshan's eyes sharpened, showing not fear but a cold glint of "as expected."
He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down, and asked in a low voice:
"How many people have arrived? What type of troops are they? What is their marching speed?"
He needs the most accurate intelligence to adjust his deployment.
However, the scout's next words were like a bucket of ice water poured over Xue Dingshan's head, making him feel instantly cold all over!
The scout swallowed hard, his face drained of color, and replied in a trembling voice:
"General...the enemy...the enemy is extremely numerous! A dark mass, coming from all over the mountains and plains!"
"A rough estimate suggests at least... at least fifty thousand!"
"fifty thousand?"
Upon hearing this, Xue Dingshan's pupils suddenly contracted, and his heart sank.
The scout's voice trembled with tears as he continued to report more detailed and even more despairing intelligence:
"Among them, there were about 30,000 infantrymen bearing the banner of the Great Tang Dynasty, their ranks were well-ordered, and their swords and shields were gleaming!"
"There are... there are at least 20,000 cavalrymen, fighting... fighting the wolf-head banner of the Black Wolf Tribe of the Scorpion Clan!"
Fifty thousand enemy troops!
Thirty thousand elite Tang infantrymen and twenty thousand Black Wolf Scorpion cavalry!
This number far exceeded Xue Dingshan's expectations and also far exceeded the number of troops he could mobilize!
He originally thought that Wang Zhongsi could only send 10,000 to 20,000 reinforcements at most, given the pressure of his father's frontal assault.
Unexpectedly, the other side was so decisive, sending out 50,000 troops at once!
No wonder their marching speed was slower than our cavalry, which was trying to detour. It turned out that their large numbers and coordinated infantry and cavalry slowed down their overall speed.
In an instant, Xue Dingshan felt a chill run from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head, and his palms, gripping the sword hilt, were instantly covered in cold sweat.
He only had 20,000 cavalry. Although he had the advantage of terrain and had laid an ambush, how could he possibly intercept an enemy force of 50,000 men, twice his size and composed of both infantry and cavalry?
This is tantamount to a mantis trying to stop a chariot!