Unstoppable momentum

Time waited for no man. While Liu Rengui dispatched riders to request instructions from Gao Yuan, he simultaneously began preparations for the invasion of Khmer.

This was a war of national extinction; even someone like Liu Rengui could not help but feel a bit apprehensive, worrying that Gao Yuan might be dissatisfied with his independent action.

However, a month later, all his concerns were dispelled. Gao Yuan had not sent a written reply, but seeing the Personal Guard cavalry led by Xia Luqi and Huo Jun, along with five thousand Beiwei Army and five thousand Xuanjia Army soldiers, he knew Gao Yuan had approved his operation.

With these ten thousand troops, combined with the original twenty thousand Xuanjia Army and Beiwei Army Second Division soldiers in the Zhongnan Circuit, plus two thousand newly recruited reserves, Liu Rengui had sufficient offensive power.

To launch the offensive against Khmer, he had made thorough preparations. Aside from leaving two thousand troops to guard several border cities, other cities had at most a hundred soldiers to maintain public order.

He drew a full ten thousand men from the twenty thousand Xuanjia Army. Combined with the reinforcements from Gao Yuan, the force used for the offensive exceeded twenty thousand.

Though the numbers were not vast, given the combat strength of the Beiwei Army and the Xuanjia Army, he was confident that they could hold their own even against the main Khmer force.

The past few years had seen favorable weather, and because Gao Yuan had fought two bitter battles with Toungoo, the Khmer defenses were very lax.

A peaceful atmosphere permeated the entire Khmer nation; they completely failed to expect that their former ally would join forces with their enemy.

The first to strike was the Toungoo army. Fifty thousand troops advanced in two columns. Before the Khmer could react, they invaded Lopburi and Rayong, capturing several county seats in quick succession.

This sudden development terrified the Khmer leadership, but King Jayavarman remained very calm.

"What is there to fear? Why the panic? We were able to repel the toungoo people and occupy Lopburi last time, so we can do the same this time."

Seeing the King so composed, the Khmer ministers gradually settled down. Next was the task of mobilizing troops to resist the Toungoo army.

Khmer was a country with fertile land and a large population. Although the quality of their troops was poor, their numbers were staggering.

In just half a month, eighty thousand Khmer soldiers had finished assembling and set out for the border to fight a decisive battle against the Toungoo army.

In Vientiane City, a carrier pigeon flapped its wings and landed. Soon, someone took the slip of paper from its leg and delivered it to Liu Rengui.

"Hahaha, Heaven is helping me! The main Khmer army has moved. Send word to General Xia to launch an all-out assault; Si Thep must be captured with lightning speed!"

On a morning in early March of the fourth year of the era name era of Great Qian, the gates of Si Thep opened as usual.

The Common People and merchant caravans who had been waiting impatiently flooded into the city, ready to begin their day's work.

Several soldiers responsible for guarding the gate were still yawning, discussing how the girls from the previous night had been.

Suddenly, without any warning, the ground began to tremble.

"What's happening? What's going on? Why is the ground moving?"

Another soldier yawned, exhaling a thick scent of alcohol.

"You haven't sobered up yet, have you? Hahaha... Wait, the ground really is moving!"

Soon, a black line appeared in the distance, rapidly approaching the city gate. Many people stopped to watch out of curiosity, wanting to see what was happening.

It wasn't until the black line drew close that someone finally cried out in alarm.

"Cavalry! It's cavalry! Run!"

Instantly, chaos erupted at the city gate. The crowd huddled at the entrance scrambled like panicked animals, actually blocking the gate so that it couldn't be closed.

Soon, there was no longer any need to close the gate, as Xia Luqi, leading three hundred cavalrymen, had already scattered the crowd and slaughtered his way into the city.

The infantry followed closely behind. Si Thep was occupied in just one morning; of the three thousand defenders, over two hundred were killed, and the rest surrendered directly.

Using almost the same method, all three northern prefectures of Khmer were captured within a month. The entire Khmer nation was shaken.

Almost everyone who heard the news could not believe their ears, naturally including King Jayavarman.

"Impossible! Impossible! Aren't the Han people our allies? Don't they have a grudge against the toungoo people?"

A general in tattered clothes knelt there, weeping as he reported.

"Your Majesty, it is absolutely true! Now, the entire line from Si Thep to Savannakhet has fallen. I beg Your Majesty to send reinforcements immediately!"

"Reinforcements... Reinforcements... Where can I find reinforcements?"

Jayavarman slumped on his throne, his mouth constantly muttering the word "reinforcements."

A nobleman stepped forward.

"Your Majesty, the three Ede countries still have troops. I think we should mobilize forces from those three countries."

Jayavarman was like a drowning man grasping at a straw.

"Yes, yes! Someone, send orders to the three countries of Ede, Champa, and Vietnam. As long as they send troops, I will waive their annual tribute for five—no, ten years!"

In the end, profit moved hearts. After receiving the promise of a ten-year tribute waiver, the three countries each sent their elite troops. Combined with Khmer forces from various regions, a total of thirty thousand men were mobilized to the front lines.

However, all this happened nearly a month later. Liu Rengui's army had advanced like a hot knife through butter, already capturing Sekong and Champasak.

Hearing that Khmer had assembled thirty thousand reinforcements, Liu Rengui, Xia Luqi, Hong Wantong, and Ma Song looked at each other and burst into triumphant laughter.

"Hahaha, I was just saying we had too few captives and that Shopkeeper Gao and Manager Wan wouldn't have enough to sell. I didn't expect them to deliver themselves to our door."

"They truly are our allies. Fearing our elites would suffer too many casualties during a siege, they've packaged themselves up to come and die."

Liu Rengui finished laughing, then cleared his throat and said with a serious expression,

"Everyone, do not be careless or underestimate the enemy. As long as we annihilate this reinforcement force, the path before us will be wide open. Therefore, every unit must be cautious."

The men looked at each other, stood up, and cupped their fists.

"This humble general obeys!"

By May, the Indochina Peninsula had begun to grow hot. The two armies faced each other on the plains, arrayed for a battle that could be said to decide the fate of the Khmer Empire.

Standing on high ground, Liu Rengui frowned.

"The weather is so hot; the soldiers probably won't be able to hold out for long. We should settle this quickly. Order the drums to sound for the advance!"

Following Liu Rengui's command, the thunderous sound of war drums echoed. The iron-armored Beiwei Army began to advance, with the Xuanjia Army following closely behind.

On the other side, whether they were Khmer or generals from countries like Ede, seeing the Beiwei Army clad entirely in iron armor, they couldn't help but curse in their hearts. This was not following the rules of war; wasn't this just bullying?

Without giving them much time to hesitate, the Beiwei Army had already advanced to within a hundred paces. The archers in the Khmer allied ranks began to attack.

Clang! Clang!

The expected casualties among the enemy did not occur. Only the crisp sound of metal clashing echoed across the battlefield.

The distance grew closer. When they were less than fifty paces apart, the Xuanjia Army archers hidden behind the Beiwei Army began to return fire.

Whiz! Whiz! Whiz!

"Argh!"

"Help!"

"I'm hit!"

Accompanied by the sharp sound of air being sliced, specially made triangular armor-piercing arrows penetrated leather armor and pierced into flesh. Instantly, screams rang out one after another, and the scent of blood soon filled the battlefield.

The Beiwei Army utilized their equipment advantage to the fullest. As soon as the front lines of both sides collided, the gap immediately became apparent.

Ordinary sabers and spears simply could not break through the defense of the iron armor. Conversely, every strike from the Beiwei Army's Iron Maces dealt massive damage to the enemy.

After only an hour of fighting, the formation of the Khmer allied forces began to fall into chaos.

To make matters worse, Xia Luqi appeared with the cavalry.