Chapter 42: The First Battle

The warhorse snorted heavily. The knight from the Yanzhou-Hai Navy galloped right up to Zhao Huai'an's front line and shouted at the top of his lungs:

"Orders from the Commander! The Baoyi Regiment is to wedge westward immediately and strike the enemy's flank and rear!"

As he spoke, the knight sharply wheeled his mount around on the spot, displaying superb horsemanship.

Having dropped these words, and without caring in the least whether Zhao Huai'an intended to obey or not, he spurred his horse and rode away.

Left behind, Zhao Huai'an and the others could only stare in blank astonishment.

It was Lu Zhongyuan who spoke first, genuinely terrified that Zhao Huai'an might let a sudden rush of blood to the head prompt him to declare:

"Commander, we answer directly to the Field Commissioner. We are under no obligation to take orders from that Yanzhou-Hai Navy."

Zhao Huai'an was not at all surprised by Lu Zhongyuan's words, but what he did not expect was that from the other side, Zhou Dexing chimed in as well:

"Commander, this order is a death sentence. It is ordering us into a desperate isolated thrust simply to draw the pressure off the Yanzhou-Hai Navy."

That someone originally from the Yanzhou-Hai Navy would fail to show concern for his former comrades truly caught Zhao Huai'an off guard.

Among the eight section leaders, two explicitly opposed the sortie, while the remaining six kept silent.

Zhao Huai'an had been closely observing their reactions. A person's true mettle could only be revealed under precisely such circumstances.

Sure enough, aside from Lu Zhongyuan and Zhou Dexing, the remaining six wore varying expressions.

Han Tong was frowning at him, while Zhang Dai's face was plastered with excitement. Beside them, Qian Tiefu spat directly onto the ground and cast a sideways glance at Lu Zhongyuan.

Chen Fahai gripped his standard-bearer's spear tightly, staring unwaveringly right at him. Across from Zhou Dexing, Wei Jinggang had his eyes wide and bulging.

Finally, there was Guo Congyun standing beside Zhao Huai'an; he looked completely relaxed and unbothered, his eyes still fixed on the retreating Yanzhou-Hai Navy knight.

As for his own personal disciples flanking him, some lowered their heads while others adjusted their iron armor. The four short-stature men, however, had already raised their broadswords and were loudly shouting, "Kill!"

At that moment, Zhao Huai'an gained a much deeper understanding of the dispositions of the men under his command.

He instinctively licked his lips, only to find not a single drop of saliva left in his mouth. So he, too, was afraid!

He looked at the eight section leaders, then past them to the troops, next at his own disciples, and finally back to the Yanzhou-Hai Navy troops still fighting fiercely in the distance. Zhao Huai'an turned his head and asked Lao Liu beside him:

"Sixth, if Lord Huang were here, what would he do?"

Lao Liu was shaking like a leaf, but upon hearing this, he straightened his neck, refusing to bring dishonor upon the old commander. Glancing sideways at Lu Zhongyuan, he struck a posture and blustered:

"When our Lizhou army served under Lord Huang, we fought tens of thousands of Nanzhao troops at the Dadu River and fought to the death without retreating! Let alone those few Nanzhao soldiers ahead—even if there were twice as many, we'd slice right through them!"

"Besides, to flee without fighting—damn our ancestors, I, Zhao Liu, can't afford to lose that kind of face. Which one of you wants to be a coward?"

Lao Liu ranted and raved at Lu Zhongyuan, which ironically made Zhao Huai'an feel a twinge of guilt.

Lao Liu was bragging a bit too wildly, but he had nevertheless expressed Zhao Huai'an's stance: they were going to fight!

Not for the sake of the Yanzhou-Hai Navy, but for their newly established "Baoyi Regiment."

This was their regiment's maiden battle. They could afford to lose this fight, but they could absolutely not turn coward. Once they chose to flee without fighting, this force would be finished.

Zhao Huai'an had just scanned the circle and realized that although most of them were trembling, their hands were gripping their weapons for dear life as they looked at him.

Therefore, not only could they not run, but he, Zhao Huai'an, had to charge forward to meet the enemy.

Why did these men follow him?

Some came to learn martial arts, some had been sold into service, and some gathered around because they saw he had a bright future. But no matter the reason, none of them wanted a coward for a leader.

Thus, they were all looking at Zhao Huai'an, watching how he would choose at this critical juncture.

This battle was not just a hurdle they had to clear; it was the ultimate test for Zhao Huai'an himself.

With that thought, Zhao Huai'an leaped straight down from his warhorse and declared to the gathered men:

"I shall lead the charge in this battle. If I retreat, cut off my head! If you retreat, I will cut off yours!"

Then, turning to Zhao Liu, Zhao Huai'an commanded:

"Sixth, carry the banner for me. Sun Tai, Zhao Huai, protect the standard. Follow my banner closely, and kill!"

With that, Zhao Huai'an pulled his great saber from the earth where it was planted and dashed forward at the vanguard.

Lao Liu, standing behind him, was dumbfounded. *I was just talking big, Captain Zhao, why are you taking it so seriously?*

Yet what could Lao Liu do at this point? Gritting his teeth, he hoisted the earthy-yellow grand standard embroidered with the characters "Baoyi" and scrambled in close pursuit right behind Zhao Huai'an.

Next came the six armored disciples, each gripping weapons of various lengths, pressing closely behind.

Suddenly, Guo Congyun, who had remained mounted all this while, let out a thunderous roar:

"Good! Good! Good! Let's turn the world upside down!"

With that, he too leaped from his saddle, leading his section in a direct, ferocious charge ahead.

Almost simultaneously, the other sections, led by their respective section leaders, closely followed the earthy-yellow banner with fierce battle cries. Behind them, banners of black, red, cyan, and white fluttered and intertwined like hunting bears and wolves baring their teeth to devour prey.

...

On the right flank of Zhao Huai'an's forces, Chubby Dou was waiting with equal anxiety.

The family retainers behind him were veterans of the frontier garrisons and had long since warned their young third master of the critical danger at hand.

At that very moment, Chubby Dou recalled what Zhao Big had told him days before: to act entirely based on his banner.

Consequently, he had kept his eyes locked on the earthy-yellow banner nearby ever since.

Initially, Chubby Dou assumed Zhao Huai'an had received intelligence from above and intended to run if things looked south. But suddenly, he saw Zhao Big leading his force charging forward.

Chubby Dou was stunned, his crossed eyes straightening out in shock as he stammered to Doulu San beside him:

"San, my eyes aren't deceiving me, are they? Zhao Big is charging forward?"

Doulu San was trembling all over at this sight, and he shouted at the top of his lungs:

"Lord Zhao is truly a hero! My lord, let's go too!"

Chubby Dou instinctively shook his head. Just as he was about to speak, he caught sight of Zhao Huai'an's hundred-man force, every single one of them armored, gleaming brilliantly under the sunlight.

He looked around in a daze. Why was reality diverging so wildly from what he had imagined? Then, once again, Zhao Huai'an's words echoed in his mind:

"No matter what happens, follow my banner!"

In an instant, Chubby Dou felt as though a jolt of electricity had surged through his entire body. He hoisted his twin iron maces and roared with his signature duck-like voice:

"Follow me in the charge! Stay right behind Zhao Big! Kill!"

No sooner had the words left his mouth than Doulu San sprang forward. Clad in brigandine armor and wielding a crimson spear, he forged ahead with boundless valor, followed closely by the three hundred-odd men of Chubby Dou's regiment in a wild, surging rush.

At this juncture, as Zhao Huai'an and Chubby Dou successively launched their fierce attacks, the other native regiments along this front line were thrown into bewilderment. They all looked to their respective regiment commanders, awaiting further orders.

After hesitating for a moment, the commanders decided to tail Zhao Big and Chubby Dou and launch a wave of their own.

Thus, spearheaded by Zhao Huai'an, the native regiments on the fourth front line poured forward to reinforce the battle.

In the blink of an eye, the entire western battlefield plunged into even deeper chaos.

...

Unaware of the commotion unfolding behind him, Zhao Huai'an grasped his great saber in both hands and sprinted at top speed.

Lao Liu, staggering under the weight of the massive standard, could barely keep up and was forced to yell:

"Zhao Big! Zhao Big! Slow down!"

Yet Zhao Huai'an heard none of it. He sprinted toward the western edge of the battlefield, intent on cutting directly into the left flank of the Nanzhao army. To accomplish this, he had to rapidly deploy his troops along the western sector.

Realizing Zhao Big was paying him zero heed, Lao Liu gritted his teeth and cursed fiercely:

"Zhao Big, whose damn pants dropped you out as such a reckless maniac? Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

Yet curses finished, Lao Liu broke into a desperate, frantic sprint. *Ah, screw it, dying with you today, Zhao Big, let fate decide!*

With the earthy-yellow grand banner surging forward, the eight sections behind dared not lag behind for a single second, tearing across the field amidst a torrent of curses.

Up front, Zhao Huai'an spearheaded a ferocious charge and successfully flanked the left side of the Nanzhao forces.

Yet at this juncture, Zhao Huai'an abruptly reined in his recklessness. Panting heavily, he roared:

"Form ranks! Form ranks!"

Lao Liu, having finally caught up without even a moment to draw breath, heard Sun Tai bellowing from the side:

"Form ranks!"

Lao Liu immediately began waving the banner, while Niu Li started beating the small drum strapped to his waist.

The eight sections, having scattered during the run, immediately caught sight of the ahead banner and formation. The section leaders began yelling at the top of their lungs:

"Damn your mothers, form ranks right now!"

With that, they began shoving and kicking their subordinates, ordering them to line up around the military standard.

Chaotic as the Baoyi Regiment was, thanks to their constant drilling, they managed to assemble the eight section formations within a remarkably short time.

The concentration and deployment of the Baoyi forces on the left flank naturally stirred up commotion within the Nanzhao ranks.

At this point, they had battered the Yanzhou-Hai Navy to within an inch of collapse, only to be struck with utter dismay upon seeing a formidable force of armored elite descend upon their left flank.

Without a moment's hesitation, the Nanzhao commander deployed his final reserve unit directly toward the left wing.

Amidst the chaos, Zhao Huai'an instantly seized the tactical window.

Spotting an enemy unit detaching from the main formation and charging directly toward them, Zhao Huai'an roared:

"Archers and crossbowmen, fire at them!"

As he spoke, he pointed his great saber directly at the assembling enemy force.

The eight sections, having already formed up, obeyed the commander's thunderous command by raising their bows and crossbows to loose a volley at the designated target.

In a split second, eighty or ninety arrows rained down like a sudden downpour upon the enemy unit.

Caught in the midst of assembling, the enemy had anticipated no such missile assault. Under the blanket of arrow fire, they collapsed like harvested wheat.

Zhao Huai'an wanted to order a second volley, but glancing back at his subordinates, he saw them trembling and fumbling hopelessly, utterly unable to nock a second arrow in time.

Left with no alternative, Zhao Huai'an chose to press the assault into hand-to-hand combat.

Fixing his gaze on the enemy's "Wang Zuzi" battle standard, Zhao Huai'an raised his great saber and charged in without a second thought.

Behind him, the central section's disciples brandished their blades and weapons, fiercely protecting Lao Liu as they rushed forward.

...

A Nanzhao warrior clad in leather armor leaped into the air, slashing down furiously at Zhao Huai'an. Without even lifting an eyelid, Zhao Huai'an swept his blade in mid-air and cleaved the man cleanly in two.

A mass of steaming entrails spilled violently onto the ground. The upper half of the man was still alive, writhing and wailing in terror before Wang Li dashed forward and crushed his skull with a single blow.

Having casually dispatched the foe, Wang Li strode forward with long strides to catch up with the standard.

Zhao Huai'an's advance was blindingly fast.

The Nanzhao formation was already in disarray, and having breached their weakest left flank, they were utterly incapable of stopping the heavily armored and weaponed Zhao Huai'an.

After hacking down yet another enemy with his great saber, Zhao Huai'an spotted the Nanzhao enemy commander from afar, standing directly beneath the "Wang Zuzi" banner.

At that moment, only two guards remained at his side, flanking the standard left and right.

Almost simultaneously, the enemy spotted Zhao Huai'an as well, shouting in sheer panic to those around them.

Instantly, a detachment of Nanzhao iron troops broke away from the main front line and swarmed toward Zhao Huai'an's position in a pincer movement.