Chapter 378 Rescue of the Mughals

To increase speed and conserve the soldiers' energy for this campaign, Gao Yuan directly deployed the Clipper Ships of the Guangzhou Fleet for transport.

Following the coastline in such seagoing vessels was both safe and fast. It would take a month at most to transport the entire strength of two divisions to the Indian Peninsula, saving a vast amount of resources.

Hearing that he could go to the battlefield again, Xia Luqi was extremely excited. However, when he was vomiting his guts out on the vast ocean, he felt regret in his heart.

In fact, he could have completely ridden with the Scout Battalion. He only decided to be lazy when he heard that he could lie on the deck and sunbathe every day while on a ship.

In short, thirty percent of the Beiwei Army soldiers were so seasick they felt weak in their limbs as soon as they boarded. As for later... they got used to it after vomiting enough, to the point that when they disembarked at Malacca City to rest, they actually felt unaccustomed to the land.

It had to be said that Humayun was truly a good customer. Just as Yue Fei's army had finished assembling, he sent over the promised funds.

Two hundred catties of gold and one thousand high-caste young women were all sent to Gaoda City.

Looking at the women being brought into the city, Gao Yang nudged Yue Fei beside him with his elbow.

“I'm telling you, these high-caste women really are quite good-looking. How about it, Pengju? Do you want to pick two to take back?”

Yue Fei shook his head like a rattle.

“I'm old enough to be their father. Let's forget it.”

“Hahaha!”

Gao Yang laughed and patted Yue Fei on the shoulder.

“I know you have few desires, but if you don't take any, what will everyone else do?”

Yue Fei knew Gao Yang was reminding him not to be an outsider, and he immediately cast a grateful look.

“I'll pass, but I can choose two for my worthless son.”

Seeing that Yue Fei had taken his advice to heart, Gao Yang was also pleased. He nodded with a smile and stopped talking.

These women were temporarily settled in Gaoda City. Everyone knew they were prizes for those who achieved merit later.

Those lechers were all rubbing their hands, itching to rush out and give the Persians a beating immediately.

The Persians had no idea that a group of predatory men had already set their sights on them. At this moment, they were quietly waiting for the surrounded enemy's provisions to run out and for them to slowly collapse.

After some rest, Xia Luqi and the soldiers of the Beiwei Army finally recovered from the swaying state of being at sea.

Seeing that the soldiers had recovered, Yue Fei no longer delayed and ordered the troops to set out.

In truth, Humayun was nearly driven mad with anxiety, wishing he could come three times a day to urge Yue Fei to move west as soon as possible.

However, Yue Fei still kept in mind the words from Gao Yuan's secret letter:

The Mughals will be our enemies sooner or later. Rescuing them now is merely an act of expediency.

Yue Fei was also a clever man; how could he not understand Gao Yuan's meaning? This rescue mission had to be handled with a certain level of finesse.

He had to save them, yet not save them in their entirety. This was a true test of his skill.

Therefore, he simply used the excuse of the soldiers being exhausted from the sea voyage to rest for a few more days.

It was during these days of Yue Fei's intentional delay that some of the besieged Mughal troops surrendered to the Persians.

In less than ten days, this army that was the apple of Humayun's eye lost over ten thousand men.

Hearing that Mughal reinforcements had arrived, the Persian commander, Shahbaz, couldn't help but sneer.

“These Mughals are truly foolish. Knowing they are bound to lose, they still send reinforcements. This is just perfect for me to add another achievement to my record.”

Shahbaz was quite proud of himself for planning this encirclement and slaughter of the Mughal main force.

Before the campaign, the Persian King Khosrow II had promised that as long as they wiped out the Mughals and conquered the entire Indian Peninsula...

...then next, he, Shahbaz, would be the Governor of Mughal for the Sassanid Persian Empire.

For a general born in the slums, this could be considered a legendary tale.

He just didn't know that this time, he was facing a true legend.

Outside the western Mughal stronghold of Ajmer, Shahbaz finally met his opponent for this battle.

Seeing the majestic military bearing opposite him, the Persian general's heart couldn't help but skip a beat.

“When did these foolish Mughals have such a majestic army?”

At this moment, the lieutenant beside him noticed something different and quickly spoke up to remind him.

“General, look. Their banners do not seem to be those of the Mughals.”

Another lieutenant was quite well-traveled and immediately recognized the script.

“General, those are the characters of the Great Qian in the east. It seems these are reinforcements invited by the Mughals.”

Hearing this, Shahbaz's gaze sharpened. He had also heard of that distant ancient eastern country.

However, he had only learned some scattered news from the mouths of merchant caravans.

It was a powerful and mysterious country, though he had heard recently that it was in the midst of a civil war.

“I recall that the Great Qian is still in a civil war. How could their army appear here?”

Though he thought this, he would absolutely not back down. He immediately said,

“The King sent us on an eastern expedition, which means we must fight all the way to the farthest east;”

“It is just as well. Today, let us let these foolish Easterners witness the might of our Persian Iron Cavalry.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the lieutenants behind him began to shout loudly, and subsequently, the entire army became restless with excitement.

In sharp contrast, the soldiers of the Qian Army said not a word, silently making their preparations.

On the other hand, the Mughal soldiers on the sidelines, who were there just to make up the numbers, were all trembling with fear.

With a single command, the Qian Army soldiers began to don their armor, and the crossbowmen all took their positions.

The Persian Cavalry was divided into two types. The most elite were called the Savaran, numbering about two to three thousand.

This type of Cavalry, both man and horse, were equipped with chainmail, with a total weight of about eighty catties.

This equipment could already be considered invincible in Central Asia.

But this time, they were facing the powerful Bozhang Crossbows and the Iron Pagodas whose heavy armor exceeded one hundred and twenty catties.

As for those behind the Savaran, they were light Cavalry wearing half-armor, numbering about eight thousand.

Behind them were large numbers of infantry armed with long spears.

There was also a special group of Cavalry at the very front of the entire Persian army: about five hundred camel Cavalry.

It was said that the scent emitted by camels would cause fear in warhorses, thereby establishing an advantage for the following Cavalry.

As the sun slowly rose and the sky grew bright, the pre-battle preparations for both sides were complete.

The Persians still followed their most successful routine, with the camel Cavalry leading the charge.

Next would be the Savaran heavy Cavalry to break the enemy's formation, with the light Cavalry following to slaughter.

Only at the end would the infantry advance to harvest the battlefield.

Meanwhile, the Great Qian side had already set up their formation. In the front row were fifty Three-Bow Bed Crossbows.

Behind the bed crossbows were twenty Red-Coat Cannonss that had just been unloaded from carriages.

Further back were eight thousand Beiwei Army soldiers holding Bozhang Crossbows.

Their left wing consisted of the Iron Pagodas led by General Yue Yun and eight thousand Anxi Cavalry led by General Yue Yun.

Their right wing was nearly twenty thousand heavy infantry led by Xia Luqi.

As the drums of war thundered on the battlefield, the dull sound of horns was also continuously blown.

This great battle between two powerful empires was finally about to begin.

Shahbaz, harboring a desire for victory, gave the order to charge.

These battle-hardened camels snorted and began to slowly accelerate.

After they had rushed out a distance, the Savaran heavy Cavalry also began to accelerate.

Only then did the light Cavalry and infantry rush out.

“Very well-layered. The opposing commander is indeed a talent. A pity... Order the cannons to fire!”

After Yue Fei finished his lament while holding his telescope, he coldly gave the order.