Wife, Don't Be Like This!

Chapter 107 - Tears of an Iron-blooded Man

Fuck!

Song Yan couldn't help but curse, his expression extremely ugly.

Even though Song Yan didn't have much experience in commanding battles, a fire of anger couldn't help but well up in his chest.

To actually have infantry go out of the city to fight a field battle with cavalry? What kind of genius could give such an order? This was simply sending the soldiers under him out to die.

Throughout the history of ancient warfare, cavalry has always been the recurring nightmare of infantry. Especially in field battles, cavalry, with its powerful impact and extremely high mobility, was the absolute king of the battlefield.

When infantry encountered cavalry, their fate was basically just to be slaughtered.

Of course, in order to counter cavalry, some special types of troops were indeed developed, for example, the long pike formation.

This was when facing cavalry, the infantry would use stillness to counter movement, form a square formation, and hold three-meter-long pikes aimed diagonally upwards. When the cavalry charged over, they would use the sharp long pikes to pierce the warhorses' necks, turning the opponent from cavalry into infantry.

It's just that, the long pike formation, you couldn't say it was useless, only that its use was limited.

After all, a galloping warhorse's speed is astonishing. Coupled with the weight of the soldier and the horse itself, even if its neck was pierced and it lost control, it would most likely crash into the long pike formation under the force of inertia.

And this impact was enough to shatter the long pike formation. Often, after a few rounds, the long pike formation would be broken up.

In the age of cold weapons, cavalry was a nearly invincible existence, until the appearance of the `modao` in the Tang Dynasty, which was said to be able to shatter both man and horse.

The faces of Lei Yi and the others were all full of resentment. Their bloodshot eyes looked as if they wanted to eat someone.

For infantry to fight a field battle with cavalry, the outcome could be imagined.

"Great General Dou argued forcefully, but Qian Yaozu said that Great General Dou was being cowardly in the face of battle, and even wanted to have him executed to boost army morale. Left with no choice, Great General Dou could only lead eight thousand infantry to meet the Jurchen iron cavalry."

This is the result of having a civil official command soldiers. It's not to say that there are absolutely no capable fighters among civil officials. People like Yu Qian and Wang Yangming, even though they were scholars, were also masters of military command. However, people like this were ultimately too few.

"Eight thousand men were broken up in just a few rounds."

"Seeing those cavalry had already charged to the city gate, Qian Yaozu was panic-stricken and ordered the city gates to be closed, attempting to defend the city to the death."

"Pity those eight thousand brothers, who were trapped and killed outside the city. Even Great General Dou died heroically in battle."

Although he had long guessed it would be such an outcome, upon hearing it with his own ears, Song Yan still couldn't help but let out a faint sigh. The entire Ning Kingdom was rotten to the core.

"Afterward, the Jurchens began to attack the city. The brothers resisted with all their might. The entire city wall was dyed red. That Qian Yaozu, seeing the enemy climbing the city wall, was panic-stricken. Shouting that it couldn't be held, he ordered a retreat to Pingyang Prefecture."

"But behind us were the common people. If we retreated, the vast area between the border and Pingyang would be completely exposed under the iron hooves of the Jurchens."

"Vice General Liang Youde explained the stakes to Qian Yaozu, hoping to defend the border to the death on one hand, while asking for reinforcements from Pingyang Prefecture on the other. But Qian Yaozu's courage had been shattered. He insisted on fleeing. Left with no choice, General Liang disobeyed the military order and led six thousand soldiers to defend the city wall. He also arranged for a thousand soldiers to go and notify the commoners in the city to evacuate as soon as possible, to avoid being plundered by the Jurchens."

"The armor and weapons of the border army hadn't been replaced for many years, and they were all inferior goods. The long sabers would break on a single touch, and the armor would be pierced by a single chop. But even so, General Liang still held on bitterly for three days.”

"Although Qian Yaozu was flustered and exasperated, there was nothing he could do. He led his two thousand lackeys and withdrew from the border."

"I heard that this fellow, while retreating, passed by a river. Worried that he would be punished after he returned this time, he prepared to jump into the river and commit suicide. In the end, when he jumped, he tested the water temperature with his hand, felt the water was too cold, and decided not to die."

Black lines appeared on Song Yan's forehead?

Could this be the Ning Kingdom version of 'the water is too cold'?

Or could it be that this Qian Yaozu is Qian Qianyi's ancestor?

"This Qian Yaozu is a good-for-nothing when it comes to leading troops, but he's a master at embezzling provisions and shirking responsibility. Since he had already decided to live, he naturally had to wash the stains off his own body. Therefore, he pushed all the blame for the military defeat onto Great General Dou and General Liang."

"He wrote a memorial to the court, saying it was because the two generals did not obey his commands that the great defeat was caused." ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ novel fire.net

"As for the five of us, we were arranged by General Kong to notify and escort the commoners to evacuate. We were also slandered by that Qian Yaozu as deserters. Qian Yaozu is currently issuing wanted posters for us in the Liaodong area. Left with no choice, we can only disguise ourselves as refugees."

Saying this, Lei Yi took another fierce gulp of wine.

He was clearly a man of iron, but his eyes had become a little moist, and his pupils were full of bloodshot veins.

"And General Liang and the others..." Song Yan sighed, his mood also somewhat heavy.

"That Jurchen general attempted to accept their surrender, but it was refused by General Liang. Including General Liang, of the six thousand defending soldiers, not a single one survived."

Fourteen thousand good men.

It's not that the Ning Kingdom doesn't have men of unyielding iron, but even if you have a spine of steel, what can you do? In the end, they were still killed by their own people.

He took another sip of wine. Perhaps it was because he was too sad, or perhaps because he hadn't had a drink in a long time, but Lei Yi seemed a little drunk.

“We brothers are preparing to go to Dongling."

"We want to lodge an imperial petition."

"The two generals are already dead. They should not have to bear such a stigma anymore."

Song Yan let out a small breath. He couldn't bear to shatter these men's hopes, but he also had no choice but to make them see reality.

"I'm afraid you won't be able to do it."

"Since that Qian Yaozu is preparing to shirk responsibility, he naturally will not allow what happened at the border to get out. If I've guessed correctly, Qian Yaozu has probably arranged for men at every pass and every chokepoint leading to Dongling. The moment you show your faces, you will surely be intercepted and killed."

"Besides, even if you do get to Dongling, I'm afraid you won't be able to see His Majesty."

"The first people you will see will, in the end, still be those civil officials of Dongling. Do you think those civil officials will let this matter reach the emperor's ears?"

The carriage once again fell into a dead silence.

Even though they had long known this, to now have it said so bluntly by Song Yan, each of them still felt as if their hearts were dripping blood. On their filthy faces, teardrops rolled down, leaving one streak after another.

"Brother Lei..."

After a long while, Song Yan spoke again:

"You all probably don't know, but in a few more months, I will be going to Xinhou County to take up my post as a small County Magistrate."

"His Majesty has given me a little bit of power. I can recruit some soldiers myself to resist the Jurchens."

The eyes of Lei Zhenghu and the others were a little surprised.

According to Song Yan's ability to resist several times his number of Wokou with just a few hundred household guards, it would be normal for him to be arranged to be a general at the border.

But what the hell is a County Magistrate?

Only Lei Yi's eyes narrowed. A County Magistrate who can recruit soldiers?

Although it was only the land of one county, this was basically 'military and political power, all in the hands of Song Yan alone.'

If this were placed in those chaotic eras, apart from the territory being a bit small, it could be considered a local warlord.

The expression on Song Yan's face gradually became solemn:

"I wonder, sirs..."

"Can you still lift a saber?"

……

At the same time, on the other side, two carriages were traveling quickly on a small path.

Inside the carriages was a group of scholars. It was, strikingly, Linghu Rui's group.

Perhaps because they were worried they would be caught and retaliated against by Song Yan—after all, this Song Yan was famous for being vengeful—Song Zhen, Song Yun, and Yang Miaoqing who had bullied him before were all dead.

Although on the surface it seemed to have nothing to do with Song Yan, some people speculated that Song Yan most likely had a hand in it. Therefore, they didn't even dare to take the main road.

Although the official road was wide, the detour was longer. Although the narrow small path was bumpy, it was closer to Song Prefecture.

While hurriedly rushing towards Song Prefecture, they also quietly looked back through the carriage window. Seeing that no one was chasing from behind, they let out a sigh of relief.

A little faster.

As long as we get back to Xilin Academy, we'll be safe.

Even if this Song Yan is arrogant, he would absolutely not dare to cause trouble at the academy.

Suddenly, with a neigh, the carriage suddenly stopped. Linghu Rui's head smashed heavily against the carriage window.

A large bump swelled up on his head. Linghu Rui, while rubbing it and cursing, looked forward, only to find that at some point, several dozen figures had appeared in front of the carriage.