ATPnovel Chapter 15 Snowstorm at Xiping Fortress
Chapter 15 Snowstorm at Xiping Fortress
Without the slightest hesitation, the two turned their horses around almost simultaneously and galloped off towards Xiping Fort.
Two riders, one in white and one in black, emerged from the depths of the snowstorm like two arrows piercing the wind, their hooves kicking up clouds of snow.
At this moment, the area in front of Xiping Fort was already in complete chaos.
More than sixty Xianbei cavalrymen, dressed in animal skins and wielding scimitars, rode their steeds back and forth around the fortress, their scimitars gleaming coldly in the twilight.
They were originally a small squad of Xianbei from the east, under the command of Murong. Taking advantage of the winter when there was nothing to do and the border defenses in Han territory were lax, they plundered without permission.
This time, the bald-headed leader rallied about two thousand cavalrymen to plunder various counties and fortresses.
I thought Xipingbao was still the same dilapidated and vulnerable fortress it had always been.
Unexpectedly, Xiping Fort was completely transformed, with tall and sturdy walls and soldiers stationed on top, as if it had been prepared for defense for a long time.
The leader of the Xianbei squad was a burly Xianbei man with a hideous scar on his face. He reined in his horse and stared at the fortress in front of him, his eyes filled with astonishment and surprise.
He never expected that in just a few months, the deserted fortress would become so sturdy, and his original plan for an easy raid would likely fall through.
"Chief, what should we do?"
"This fortress is too strong, we can't break through!" a Xianbei soldier shouted.
Scarface frowned, spat fiercely, and shouted sternly, "Useless trash!"
"It's just a Han Chinese fortress; no matter how sturdy it is, how long can it hold out?"
"Brothers, breach the fortress walls! The food and women inside are all ours!"
At his command, the more than sixty Xianbei cavalrymen immediately split into two groups.
A troop of horses sprang into action, circling the fortress rapidly, drawing their bows and arrows to suppress the local militia on the walls.
Another team, armed with scimitars, frantically hacked and smashed at the fortress gate. Several soldiers, stepping on their comrades' shoulders, tried to climb over the wall and break through the fortress's defenses.
Although the local militia and garrison soldiers in the fort had undergone a period of training, they ultimately lacked practical combat experience. Faced with the fierce Xianbei cavalry and the occasional rain of arrows, they gradually became flustered.
The fortress gate was slashed and was on the verge of collapse. Several Xianbei soldiers who had climbed onto the wall brandished their scimitars and cut down the soldiers around them. They were about to break through the defenses, and the people inside the fortress were in complete panic.
"Hold on! We must hold on!"
The military instructor sent by Yan Gang, wielding a long sword, shouted loudly from the top of the wall, desperately trying to hold back the Xianbei soldiers who had climbed up.
But the Xianbei cavalry were fierce and charged wave after wave. His body was already splattered with blood, and he gradually became exhausted.
At this critical moment, a sharp arrow pierced the air.
With a "whoosh".
The arrow precisely pierced the throat of the Xianbei soldier who had climbed over the wall and was brandishing his scimitar.
The Xianbei soldier let out a muffled groan and fell straight off the wall, crashing heavily onto the snow and dying.
The sudden arrow startled the Xianbei squad, and all the Xianbei cavalry stopped their charge and looked back.
Amidst the wind and snow, a pure white steed galloped towards them, carrying a young man in silver military attire.
The young man held a gleaming silver spear, his face cold and stern.
Gongsun Zan!
He spurred his horse and galloped towards the Xianbei squad like a white lightning bolt, his eyes filled with chilling killing intent.
The Xianbei cavalrymen at the front hurriedly reined in their horses, drew their bows and nocked arrows, aiming them directly at the lone boy charging towards them.
In the military doctrines of the nomadic tribes, charging into battle alone is tantamount to suicide.
Xianbei boys are trained in riding and archery from a young age, and only one in a hundred are selected. Which boy didn't grow up on horseback?
Shooting down a lone advancing soldier is as easy as snapping a finger.
However, before the arrow could be fired, the second wave of attacks arrived!
"Whoosh—whoosh—whoosh—!"
Three powerful arrows, whistling through the wind, suddenly shot out from the snowstorm, aiming straight for the Xianbei cavalryman's wrist and the horse's neck.
The Xianbei soldiers were shocked and hurriedly turned their horses to dodge, causing the herd to stir and their formation to fall into chaos.
As they maneuvered on horseback, they searched for the source of the archer—and this search only made their hearts sink further.
A little distance behind the boy on the white horse, another rider was galloping towards them.
The man had long, slender arms and broad shoulders, a typical posture of a Han archer. Although the longbow in his hand was simple in design, it was drawn very steadily. With a slight vibration of the bowstring, arrows rained down.
The most critical thing is...
He was clearly 150 paces away.
Within a hundred paces, the Xianbei archers could still maintain a steady aim while riding their horses.
One hundred and fifty paces away, those who could accurately hit a moving target while riding a horse on the grassland were already at the level of most archers, and the entire Xianbei tribe had only a few dozen of them.
But that person still managed to do it, even in the wind and snow, on horseback, and at high speed!
Moreover, the brother who had just climbed onto the wall was pierced through the throat by an arrow. The arrow protruded from the back of his neck, and blood splattered everywhere. He didn't even have time to utter a muffled groan.
The Xianbei people looked at each other in shock.
When did such a brilliant archer emerge from the Han army in western Liaoning?
Just as they were surprised,
Arrows pierced the air, accurately striking the Xianbei soldiers who attempted to make a move, thus providing cover for the young man on the white horse.
"The Great Han Heavenly Army is here! Who dares to invade our territory!"
Liu Bei's voice pierced through the wind and snow, exceptionally powerful.
That sound carried an imposing authority without anger.
Although the Xianbei people could not understand the Han language, they felt a deadly threat from that oppressive aura.
Upon hearing Liu Bei's voice, the local militia in the fortress instantly erupted in excitement. Their initially panicked minds gradually calmed down, and fighting spirit ignited in their eyes.
"It's Han Chinese reinforcements!"
The Xianbei soldiers cried out in alarm, their faces showing panic.
Three hundred years ago, when Marquis Huo Qubing led his light cavalry to sweep across the northern deserts, sealed the Wolf Mountain and ascended the vast sea, and defeated the Xiongnu, his might shaking the remote regions, the Hu people were terrified. Their awe of the mighty Han had long been etched into their blood and bones.
For over a century, all the ethnic groups in the northern deserts have bowed down in submission at the mere sight of the Han banners.
However, in recent times, the nation's fortunes have gradually declined, and its border defenses have fallen into disrepair.
Twenty years ago, the Xianbei chieftain Tanshihuai emerged out of nowhere, established his court by swearing a blood oath at Tanhan Mountain, unified the various Xianbei tribes, and occupied the former territory of the Xiongnu royal court, commanding hundreds of thousands of archers.
He launched large-scale invasions into the border regions year after year, attacking cities and seizing territories, killing and plundering officials and civilians, and repeatedly defeating the Han army, with the northern frontier constantly engulfed in flames of war.
The once majestic imperial majesty of the Han Dynasty, after being repeatedly ravaged, was finally shattered.
Even so, many of the lower-ranking Xianbei tribes still admired and feared the Han.
In their generations-old memories, the Han lands were a civilized and prosperous place.
The Han army possessed the might of heavenly soldiers and generals, and that awe etched into their very bones was not completely extinguished by Tan Shihuai's temporary strength.
Seeing this, Scarface's eyes flashed with a fierce light, and he shouted sharply, "What are you afraid of! They're just two Han Chinese, kill them!"
By this time, Gongsun Zan had already closed in, and it was clearly too late to kill him with arrows.
No sooner had the leader finished speaking than three fierce-looking Xianbei cavalrymen turned their horses around, brandishing their scimitars, and charged toward Gongsun Zan.
The blade gleamed with a deadly cold light in the twilight, aimed straight for Gongsun Zan's vitals.