Chapter 232 The Battle of the New Year (Final)

Before raising his troops, Meng Zhenshan never would have imagined that he would suffer such a crushing defeat.

Over five thousand infantry and over a thousand Cavalry were casualties; most crucially, as the losers, they didn't even have the right to clear the battlefield.

Those wounded soldiers, along with the armor, weapons, and warhorses, all became Gao Yuan's spoils of war.

Although the infantry had significant casualties, they still had some meager fighting strength; however, only six hundred Cavalry remained, and with their commander dead, they had basically lost all combat effectiveness.

While Gao Yuan's side also suffered considerable casualties, their core strength remained intact, and after a great victory, morale throughout the army was soaring.

In matters of war, Gao Yuan was definitely one to press an advantage relentlessly; since he held the upper hand, he pushed forward directly to expand his gains.

Meng Zhenshan hadn't expected Gao Yuan to be so crazed; logically, after a major battle, one should rest and reorganize for a few days.

To his surprise, Gao Yuan was at his doorstep the very next day, launching an unreasonable and forceful assault.

It must be noted that although the Jiannan Army hadn't had time to dig deep trenches or prepare abatis and caltrops, they had still constructed quite sturdy camp walls.

Yet Gao Yuan simply charged up like that, blunt and forceful, carrying simple bamboo ladders.

While Gao Yuan also felt for his soldiers, he knew even better that he could not give Meng Zhenshan a moment to breathe.

Gao Yuan's unconventional tactics achieved miraculous results, breaking into the Jiannan Army's front camp in less than half a day.

Losing the cover of the camp walls and facing a numerical disadvantage, the Jiannan Army's front camp fell into a desperate situation.

"That bastard. Gao Yuan just got lucky and took a few cheap shots. Does he really think there's no one left in my Jiannan Army?

Today, I must teach him a lesson in humility. Pass the order: assemble the center and rear armies!"

Ignoring the dissuasion of others, Meng Zhenshan donned his armor and led the center army and the rear camp—which had been guarding against Wen Pin—to charge toward Gao Yuan.

As a famous general of Daqian, Meng Zhenshan was best known for leading Cavalry charges into enemy lines.

Although only six hundred men remained of the Left Cavalry Guard, they followed their former superior and charged unstoppably into the front camp.

At this moment, Gao Yuan was at a disadvantage because they were storming the camp, so the Xiaoguo Army was still patrolling the perimeter.

Caught off guard by the suddenly charging Left Cavalry Guard, they suffered two to three hundred casualties in just moments.

The good news, however, was that by the time they reached this point, the Left Cavalry Guard's momentum had spent itself.

Once Cavalry loses its impact force, its combat effectiveness drops significantly.

In fact, because they were mounted, they became easy targets to be surrounded and attacked.

As the horses' hooves came to a halt, the Left Cavalry Guard also fell into a desperate plight.

Behind them, the infantry that was supposed to follow up was also running into trouble.

The Xiaoguo Army hadn't managed to stop the Left Cavalry Guard in time, but Zhao Meng redeemed himself by delaying the follow-up of the infantry behind them.

With a single charge, the Xiaoguo Army cut the Jiannan Army's formation in two.

By the time the Jiannan Army reformed their lines and moved a few steps, the Xiaoguo Army struck again.

In this manner, it took the Jiannan Army nearly an hour to cover a distance of just one or two li.

Just as a rendezvous seemed imminent, they encountered Xia Luqi leading two thousand elites to block their path.

Meanwhile, in the Jiannan Army's front camp, of the original three thousand troops and six hundred Left Cavalry Guard, only a thousand remained.

With the reinforcements blocked and total annihilation imminent on this side, Meng Zhenshan grew desperate and fierce.

"Kill! Follow me and fight our way out to join the reinforcements!"

Like a cornered beast, they erupted with startling combat power; for a moment, the Beiwei Army soldiers actually couldn't hold them back.

Gao Yuan narrowed his eyes, sensing things were going south.

"Chen Daos courtesy name, follow me and circle around. We must stop Meng Zhenshan; we can't let him escape."

After yesterday's fierce battle, the Baier Soldiers hadn't had time to replenish their numbers, leaving only eight hundred men.

Facing the desperate Jiannan Army, Gao Yuan, Chen Dao, and the Baier Soldiers almost failed to hold the line.

The biggest issue was Meng Zhenshan; he was an A-rank powerhouse, a ruthless man characterized by his ability to lead the charge.

Gao Yuan estimated that in terms of pure martial skill, the only one under his command who could defeat him was Xia Luqi.

However, Xia Luqi had been assigned to block the Jiannan Army's reinforcements and was under great pressure himself, unable to come to his aid.

If he couldn't stop them here, not only would Meng Zhenshan escape the encirclement, but Xia Luqi would also be attacked from both sides.

Though it pained him, Gao Yuan prepared to use that precious Trial Card.

Yet at that very moment, a stray arrow suddenly shot out from the crowd and struck Meng Zhenshan square in the face.

"Ah!"

Meng Zhenshan was hit in the right eye; blood flowed incessantly from beneath the hand he used to cover it.

"Gao Yuan, you brat! Striking with a hidden arrow—how despicable and shameless!"

Before Gao Yuan could even react, a voice called out from behind him.

"Old man Meng Zhenshan, look closely! The one who shot you is me, Cao Xing, personal attendant to the Duke of Xicheng Commandery!"

Gao Yuan then remembered that he had a genius marksman on his side who specialized in decapitation strikes.

While such behavior was a bit shameful, it felt so, so good!

He had saved another extremely precious card.

Ignoring any notions of chivalry, the goal was to take the enemy's life while they were down.

With Meng Zhenshan down, Gao Yuan raised his pair of Gold-inlaid Maces and shouted as he charged into the enemy ranks.

The last of the Jiannan Army's morale was completely shattered by the news of Meng Zhenshan's heavy injury.

Soon, people began to surrender, and the heavily wounded Meng Zhenshan became Gao Yuan's prisoner.

Looking at the famous Daqian general lying on the ground in an unknown state of life or death, Gao Yuan shook his head and ordered:

"Take him down and treat him well. If he develops a fever, take out that box of medicine I have and give him one pill."

For this expedition, Yang Xin had given him her last box of Cephalosporin.

Although several years had passed and the medicine was long expired, for these ancients who had never encountered antibiotics, it was absolutely a divine medicine.

"My Lord, that is the life-saving medicine for you and the Madam. Isn't it too wasteful to give it to him?"

"He is, after all, a great general of our dynasty who once defended the country against foreign enemies... just do as I say!"

After arranging this, Gao Yuan led his troops to reinforce Xia Luqi.

The fierce battle lasted for a day, and the Jiannan Army showed an extremely stubborn side.

Over three thousand men refused to surrender and could not retreat, remaining surrounded in the wilderness to fight a desperate last stand.

It wasn't until three days later, when they saw Meng Zhenshan lying on a stretcher, that they finally laid down their weapons.

When the battle ended, the main force of the Jiannan Army was annihilated; of the thirty-five thousand troops, over five thousand were dead or heavily wounded, and over ten thousand had light injuries.

The two thousand borrowed Left Cavalry Guard were wiped out; over eight hundred were killed, and every survivor was wounded.

Of the ten trusted Generals of the Household under Meng Zhenshan, five were killed in action, and the rest were wounded and captured.

Though Meng Zhenshan himself was saved, he lost an eye and became a one-eyed dragon.

Gao Yuan's side wasn't having an easy time either, with over four thousand dead or heavily wounded and over seven thousand lightly injured.

Though they won, it could be described as a pyrrhic victory.

What frustrated Gao Yuan the most was that most of these Jiannan Army prisoners would have to be released.

Because they were his bargaining chips for future negotiations with The Emperor.

If he didn't release these people, how could The Emperor ever allow him to extend his reach into the Jiannan Circuit?

After ten days of rest and reorganization, Gao Yuan finally gave the order: advance to occupy Jia Prefecture and prefecture, and press toward Yizhou.

And it was only then that the news of Meng Zhenshan raising troops without authorization reached the city of Capital City.

"That bastard! Who gave him permission to act on his own? And who allowed him to privately deploy the Left Cavalry Guard? Does he still have any respect for Us, huh?"

The Emperor flew into a rage in the Xuande Hall; if Meng Zhenshan were before him now, he would surely imprint his size forty-three foot on the man's face.

Unfortunately, before his anger could subside, even more infuriating news arrived:

The Jiannan Army had been completely wiped out, and Meng Zhenshan was heavily wounded and captured.

*Pfft—*

The Emperor spat out a mouthful of blood and fainted on the spot, throwing the palace into immediate chaos.