vrcanaries Chapter 2039 Using Oneself as Bait!
Chapter 2039 Using Oneself as Bait!
Feng Mulan held a sharp sword, her tone resolute:
"I have already sent someone to inform His Majesty! My Vermilion Bird Legion will be the toughest bone and the sharpest blade on this battlefield today!"
"We will hold these 150,000 enemy troops firmly in place! With our blood and flesh, we will pave the way to victory for His Majesty, for General Xue, General Guan, and the others!"
"Soldiers!"
Her gaze swept over faces that were either young, weathered, or stained with blood.
"Behind us lies the land and its people of the Great Chu! And our parents, wives, and children!"
"If our sacrifice can bring about a great victory in this battle, the unification of the world, and lasting peace, what is there to fear in death?"
"Today, I stand with you! Wherever our swords point, there is no retreat! The Vermilion Bird's fire will burn the enemy chieftain to ashes!"
"Order the entire army—switcheroo! Form ranks! Fight to the death!"
"Fight to the death and never retreat!"
"Fight to the death and never retreat!"
"Burn the enemy chieftain to ashes!"
Feng Mulan's tragic declaration of facing death and then surviving was like throwing a raging fire into a boiling oil pot, instantly igniting the fighting spirit and morale of the 100,000 soldiers of the Vermilion Bird Legion to the extreme!
All fear and hesitation transformed into a resolute determination to perish with the enemy at this moment!
With the flags waved, orders were swiftly conveyed.
The Vermilion Bird Legion, which was originally on the offensive, began to quickly change its formation.
The heavy shield bearers advanced in layers, forming a solid defensive line.
The spearmen emerged like a forest, pointing at the surging enemy troops.
The archers took up high ground within the formation and rained arrows down on the dense charging ranks of the Tang army!
The balance of power shifted instantly!
The Vermilion Bird Legion, like a curled-up steel hedgehog covered in thorns, firmly rooted itself on this land, determined to use everything in its power to hold back and exhaust the 150,000 frenzied enemy troops before it!
A more brutal and will-testing war of attrition has begun!
The outcome of this local battle will determine the final outcome of the entire Zhennanguan decisive battle!
Before Zhennan Pass, beneath the imperial canopy, Chu Ning, clad in golden armor, rode his magnificent warhorse, its hooves pawing restlessly.
His gaze calmly surveyed the vast battlefield, like a chess player in control of the game.
The various units of the Chu army have fully deployed, like several sharp swords drawn from their sheaths, about to pierce the body of the Tang army camp.
A chilling atmosphere permeated the heavens and earth, with only the sound of war drums and faint shouts of battle foreshadowing the approaching storm.
However, just as the order to launch the final assault was about to be given, a sudden and rapid sound of hooves came from the flank, breaking the solemn atmosphere of the central army.
A cavalryman, covered in blood and with tattered armor, almost tumbled off his horse and collapsed before the canopy, guided by Chu Ning's personal guards. His voice was hoarse and distorted from exhaustion and excitement.
"Your Majesty! Urgent military news! The Vermilion Bird Legion... an urgent report from the Vermilion Bird Legion!"
Chu Ning frowned slightly and said in a deep voice, "Speak!"
The messenger, barely holding his breath, hurriedly reported: "Your Majesty! The Tang army's commander-in-chief, Li Jing, has taken a risky gamble and has not deployed defenses according to usual procedures."
"They actually assembled their main force on the left flank, along with the troops of Wang Zhongsi and Huyan Ying, totaling about 150,000 men, and launched a full-scale attack on my Vermilion Bird Legion's positions, disregarding the safety of their flanks!"
"Your Majesty... Your Majesty led the army in a valiant resistance, but the enemy's forces were overwhelming and their offensive extremely fierce!"
This news, like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, instantly caused quite a stir under Chu Ning's central command.
All the generals were astonished; Li Jing's actions were completely beyond their expectations.
The messenger paused, his face showing a mixture of reverence and sorrow, and continued:
"Her Majesty has discerned the enemy's intentions and has made a decision... a decision to lead my Vermilion Bird Legion of 100,000 soldiers to hold the line, fight to the death, and vow to hold back Wang Zhongsi's 150,000-strong main force!"
He raised his head, his voice choked with emotion, yet conveying with unparalleled clarity Feng Mulan's resounding vow:
"Your Majesty, I have been instructed to report to Your Majesty: Li Jing's main force is trapped in front of our army, leaving his right flank and frontal defenses vulnerable! This is a golden opportunity!"
"Your Majesty, please issue an order immediately, commanding General Xue, General Guan, General Ran, General Zhao, and their troops to launch a fierce attack on the enemy lines at all costs! Do not worry about the safety of the Vermilion Bird Legion!"
"Her Majesty says...Her Majesty is willing to exchange the blood and lives of 100,000 Vermilion Bird Legion soldiers for a complete victory in this battle! If our banner falls, it will be the time when the enemy's main force is annihilated!"
"what?"
Before the messenger could finish speaking, Feng Anguo, who was standing next to Chu Ning, had already changed his expression drastically and exclaimed in shock!
He could no longer care about the etiquette between ruler and subject, and took a step forward abruptly. His white beard trembled with excitement as he urgently said to Chu Ning:
"Your Majesty! No! Absolutely not! Li Jing has gone mad! He actually... Mulan is going to use herself as bait!"
"150,000 against 100,000, and the enemy's main force is launching a fierce attack... this is too dangerous!"
"Your Majesty, please send troops to support the Vermilion Bird Legion immediately! This old minister... this old minister is willing to personally lead the troops to rescue Mulan!"
Feng Anguo's voice was filled with the anxiety and panic of a father.
He only has one daughter, whom he cherishes like a treasure and is the pride of the Feng family. How could he just stand by and watch her fall into such a desperate situation?
Chu Ning sat upright on his horse, his face calm and serene, but his deep eyes were turbulent with emotion.
His knuckles were slightly white from gripping the reins tightly.
Feng Mulan's decision and Li Jing's gamble weighed heavily on his shoulders.
He fully understood Feng Anguo's feelings and was well aware of the immense pressure and danger Feng Mulan was facing at that moment.
How long could the Vermilion Bird Legion, despite its elite status, withstand the frenzied attack of 150,000 enemy troops?
Will that crimson Vermilion Bird battle flag truly fall amidst the enemy tide?
Providing assistance seems to be the most direct and humane choice.
If tens of thousands of elite troops were drawn from his central army, or even some troops were transferred back from Xue Huaide's relatively successful forces, the pressure on the Vermilion Bird Legion might be alleviated.
But... in this way, Li Jing's adventure was half successful!
He successfully drew the Chu army's attention, disrupting their overall deployment.
If the Chu army is forced to divide its forces to provide relief, its offensive momentum in other directions will inevitably be dampened, giving the Tang army a chance to regroup.
This decisive battle, which was originally expected to be quick and decisive, may very well drag into a brutal war of attrition, which is exactly what Li Jing wanted to see!
Time passed slowly in Chu Ning's silence.
Ahead, Xue Huaide's troops have already engaged the Tang army's right flank frontline, Guan Yun's troops are charging forward, and Ran Ming and Zhao Yu are also applying pressure from the front.
But clearly, the resistance they encountered was far less than expected, which proved that the messenger's words were true—the main force of the Tang army was indeed tied down by Feng Mulan!
Feng Anguo looked at the silent emperor, his anxiety rising like oil on a raging fire, but he dared not utter another word to urge him on.