Chapter 156: The Two Armies Face Off

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In recent days, due to the war in Yehe Town, Mad Blade Xiahou Huan sent people who specialized in raising Ravens to Yehe Town, bringing some Ravens with them. With the Ravens, contacting the Iron Cavalry Regiment headquarters became much more convenient.

Lei Qing received Yuwen Di’s warning and, without saying a word, immediately sent the letter to the Iron Cavalry Regiment headquarters via a Raven. In less than two days, a letter from Mad Blade Xiahou Huan arrived, stating that the Iron Cavalry Regiment was ready. If Blood Wolf dared to make a move, he would immediately send troops to support Lei Qing.

Matters having reached this stage, Lei Qing was no longer worried. The direction and control of the war situation were no longer something he, Lei Qing, could decide. All he could do now was stay quietly in Yehe Town, continue recruiting and accepting surrenders, and expand his own strength. As the quantity and quality of Lei Qing’s army continued to improve, his ability to control his own life became stronger.

At the same time, Xiahou Huan issued a diplomatic statement by announcing it to the world. He expressed his great dissatisfaction with Blood Wolf’s actions in provoking the northwest border. He further stated that if Blood Wolf Yuwen Di insisted on being an enemy of the Iron Cavalry Regiment, then the Iron Cavalry Regiment would warmly welcome him. To fulfill the duties of a host, they guaranteed to give Blood Wolf a warm reception, letting him enjoy VIP treatment of coming in vertically and going back horizontally.

Xiahou Huan’s announcement to the world immediately made the entire Free Alliance feel the changes in the northwest situation. The Free Alliance and the Prairie King’s Court in the Huer Prairie were two different superpowers.

Although there had been frequent small frictions between the two sides, in recent decades, there had been no record of two medium-sized forces, each possessing nearly ten thousand troops, directly engaging in frontal combat. Suddenly, many eyes focused on the northwest, focusing on Yehe Town, a small border town whose name many had never even heard of.

Lei Qing, the garrison commander of Yehe Town, also gradually came into the view of some important figures as the leader of a small force, and his name was constantly spread. His deeds and past were compiled into detailed intelligence and placed on the desks of many powerful people.

Prior to this, although Lei Qing had done some sensational things, to those big shots, it was merely child’s play, not something presentable. Even if his deeds spread, he was at most referred to by negative titles such as bandit or kidnapper.

But with the excavation of intelligence on Lei Qing, quite a few people began to realize his extraordinary side. He had kidnapped the heirs of the Li Chamber of Commerce and the Zhen Family Ranch respectively, yet he was still alive and kicking in the northwest.

According to intelligence, this kid was a direct descendant of the Lei Family of the Tianlan Empire. Because he peeked at Yu Shanshan, the daughter of Yu Tianji, the Grand Preceptor of the Cabinet of the Tianlan Empire, while she was bathing, he was chased and killed all the way to the Free Alliance, where he joined the Iron Cavalry Regiment.

With Lei Qing becoming famous, Yu Shanshan suffered bad luck. Originally, stories regarding her purity circulated at most within the Tianlan Imperial Capital, serving as a laughing stock for people after dinner. Now, even within the entire Free Alliance, Yu Shanshan’s name began to spread wildly. Soon it was dug up that Yu Shanshan was not only the daughter of the Grand Preceptor of the Cabinet but also the personal disciple of the Ice Sword Saint, the Palace Master of the Moon Cold Palace, a Fighting Qi Holy Land of the Tianlan Empire.

But Yu Shanshan’s suffering did not end there; with Lei Qing becoming popular in the Free Alliance, stories about him and Yu Shanshan began to spread back from the Free Alliance to the Tianlan Empire. They began to circulate repeatedly among the major forces of the Tianlan Empire, spreading almost throughout the entire country.

Of course, spreading along with this was Lei Qing’s reputation: kidnapping Li Baobao, kidnapping Zhen Jimu. Now he had even finished off Zong Wuji of Ten Thousand Eagles Stream, and captured Butcher Yuwen Hu alive. What people loved to talk about most was that this kid named Lei seemed to have decent leadership skills. Leading a newly formed army, he actually defeated a stronger enemy with a weaker force, wiping out one thousand and five hundred Blood Wolf Soldiers while losing fewer than twenty of his own.

That classic battle was also turned into a battle report and began to spread outward. However, the protagonist commanding the battle changed from Mr. Hao to Lei Qing. It was Lei Qing who deliberately disappeared to lure the Blood Wolf Army into a trap, while secretly ordering Mr. Hao to make various arrangements.

It wasn’t that Lei Qing wanted to steal Mr. Hao’s credit; this was also part of Mr. Hao’s strategy. The purpose was to hype up the Lord’s fame and prestige. He, a mere scholar who had just been appointed as a military advisor, saw no need to hype himself up to the point where his name was louder than his Lord’s. That would be overstepping his bounds and of no benefit to the Black Flag Regiment.

Maximizing benefits was the motto of the Li Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Hao, who came from the Li Clan’s advisors, was now dead set on following Lei Qing. Naturally, he had to consider everything for his Lord; only if his Lord was powerful did he have any significance. He disdained to do things like his achievements overshadowing his master.

As for the diplomatic rhetoric of Mad Blade Xiahou Huan of the Iron Cavalry Regiment, it was also quite tough and domineering, clearly not putting the Yuwen Tribe in his eyes at all. Needless to say, this was the work of the Iron Cavalry Regiment’s advisor, Mr. Gongyang. The purpose was simple: since conflict with the Yuwen Tribe was unavoidable and a contest was inevitable, why be hesitant and submissive, asking for trouble?

Moreover, this time it was the Yuwen Tribe who were bored and full, incited by others and greedy for money, that took the initiative to invade Yehe Town. Such tough and dismissive diplomatic language towards a strong enemy would also increase the cohesion and prestige of the Iron Cavalry Regiment.

After all, people belonging to the Free Alliance naturally did not want to see the army in their own territory appear too weak in the face of foreign enemies.

But while the Iron Cavalry Regiment had a good time running their mouths, it made Blood Wolf Yuwen Di unhappy. Even if he was reluctant, for the sake of his reputation and substance, he had to pull out his army and rush to Yehe Town to show off his might.

Immediately, Blood Wolf mustered his troops and generals, mightily leading five thousand Blood Wolf Army troops and five thousand temporarily conscripted herdsman. Calling them ten thousand fighting soldiers, they mightily set off towards Yehe Town to kill.

As soon as Blood Wolf Yuwen Di moved, spies immediately reported back via Ravens. Mad Blade Xiahou Huan also personally led the various troops that had long been prepared and moved to Yehe Town, putting on a posture of preparing for a big battle with the Blood Wolf Army.

The various forces of the Free Alliance were also quite concerned about this war with a foreign power. They sent out spies and scouts one after another, starting to head to Yehe Town, paying close attention to the trend of the battle situation.

The reason was simple. Whether the Iron Cavalry Regiment won or lost, it would have some profound impact on the situation of the Free Alliance. If they won, the prestige of the Iron Cavalry Regiment would increase dramatically, having a huge leap in the short term. If they lost, then that area in the northwest would fall into chaos. Perhaps there would be a chaotic war, or perhaps a new force would rise.

Amidst the recent strong winds, Lei Qing continued to safely recruit troops; strength was the foundation. If he had a hundred thousand elite soldiers in his hand, Blood Wolf Yuwen Di would have to be incredibly courageous or tired of living to dare speak to him like that. Otherwise, upon seeing him, he wouldn’t even dare to breathe loudly.

Relying on his skyrocketing prestige and reputation, people came to join the Black Flag Regiment continuously. Some of the Blood Wolf Soldiers who were seriously injured but received good care and treatment also partially joined the Black Flag Regiment. This caused Lei Qing’s team to expand to one thousand and two hundred people in the short term. Lei Qing was only three hundred people short of his initial target of one thousand and five hundred cavalry.

Estimating that the first round of recruitment would be completed soon, Lei Qing would temporarily stop taking people in the short term. It wasn’t that the money couldn’t keep up, but if military strength expanded too fast, it would be hard to control. He had to properly train this army and truly twist them into a single rope. Otherwise, with so many people, it would be chaotic; wouldn’t they just become a group of stragglers?

Sense of belonging, sense of identity, and loyalty all needed to be cultivated slowly.

With the arrival of Xiahou Huan, Yehe Town instantly became completely lively. The entire Iron Cavalry Regiment, not including Lei Qing’s subordinates, had a full five thousand people in Yehe Town. Adding Lei Qing’s men, there were more than six thousand people.

It seemed there was a gap of several thousand people compared to the Blood Wolf Army, but in reality, of the ten thousand strong Blood Wolf Army, half were herdsmen. Although herdsmen were good at riding and understood combat, becoming soldiers on horseback, their organization, morale, and will to fight were far from comparable to a regular army.

According to Xiahou Huan’s calculation, just one thousand Iron Cavalry could crush those five thousand herdsmen. An army that had not undergone extensive training and was not twisted into a rope could only be considered a disorderly mob and stragglers.

Even under Lei Qing’s command, apart from the more than two hundred Iron-armored Heavy Cavalry and the incorporated Blood Wolf Soldiers who had some combat power, the rest could really only be considered a disorderly mob.

Yuwen Di’s large force wasn’t stupid enough to play any games like rapid marching for a surprise attack under the watchful eyes of everyone. Instead, they marched properly to an open grassland more than ten miles outside Yehe Town, set up camp, and put on a righteous attitude for the world to see.

Xiahou Huan also immediately led his troops to confront them, coming outside Yuwen Di’s camp to issue a challenge.

Yuwen Di led his troops to respond, and the two sides lined up their formations on the grassland, facing each other from a distance.

Blood Wolf Yuwen Di was now actually in a dilemma where he couldn’t back down. If he didn’t fight, wouldn’t that ruin his reputation as Blood Wolf? Who in the prairie would fear or submit to him in the future? But if he did fight, the Iron Cavalry Regiment was well-equipped, their armor shining brightly; they were extremely difficult to deal with. Even if he could win after a fierce battle, it would still be a loss. Competition between tribes on the prairie was fierce; if his troops lost more than half, the days ahead would be tough.

“Yuwen Di, why are you cowering in the middle of the army?” Mad Blade Xiahou Huan rode his beloved horse, which looked short and poor but was actually extraordinary, taking the lead and wandering at the front, with an air of preparing to rush up and fight. With a face full of arrogance, he shouted, “Since our armies are at war, why don’t you and I duel to let the brothers have some fun?”

“Oh oh~” Seeing their boss so bold and domineering, the Iron Cavalry Regiment immediately roared and cheered to support him.

In contrast, Blood Wolf Yuwen Di looked a bit unpleasant. His cultivation level was Early-stage Gold. If he went to fight Xiahou Huan, the odds of losing were too high. He had to put on a show and shouted, “Xiahou Huan, you’re such a grown man, do you only know how to show off your brute strength?”