Xin Ping's strategy led Yuan Tan to send people to persuade his half-brother Yuan Xi to raise an army, successfully forcing Yuan Shang to retreat.
Now that his worries have been resolved, Yuan Tan was able to mobilize all his troops to rescue Xu Du, and with Xin Ping's advice, he set up such an indestructible iron formation. How could Yuan Tan be dissatisfied at this time?
According to the reports from the scouts, Yan Liang's entire army was besieging Xudu, and the number of troops at Yanling's front line was less than 10,000. It was for this reason that Yuan Tan dared to mobilize his entire army and advance in a mighty manner.
Recalling the last Battle of Nanyang, the disastrous defeat in which his superior army was defeated by Yan Liang's ballistae, Yuan Tan at least still remembered it fresh.
Now seeing that Yan Liang dared to fight him head-on with only a few thousand troops, Yuan Tan guessed that Yan Liang might be trying his old trick again.
"It's a pity, Yan Liang. Even your crossbow can't penetrate the three-layered shield of this king. If you want to repeat the old trick, you will only ask for trouble, huh~~"
The more Yuan Tan thought about it, the more proud he became, and the murderous intent on his face became stronger. Seeing that the time was almost up, he raised his hand and gave the order for the entire army to prepare to attack.
The rumble of war drums soared into the sky, and a large formation of 30,000 people on foot and cavalry began to advance in an orderly manner towards the enemy formation a few hundred steps away.
Facing Yuan Jun's towering shield formation, thousands of Yan Jiajun athletes all changed their colors slightly.
Even a veteran like Zhang He's face gradually became heavier.
"My lord, according to the general's opinion, Yuan's army's formation is quite restrained against our army, and its strength is several times that of our army. Today's battle does not seem to be beneficial to our army."
Although he did not say it explicitly, the implication was that Yan Liang was considering withdrawing his troops.
Yan Liang only said lightly: "Junyi, you have been following me for a while. Did you think that you would be fighting an uncertain battle?"
Yan Liang responded to Zhang He's hesitation with his strong confidence.
Zhang He looked shocked and thought that since his lord dared to fight with 6,000 troops against 30,000 Yuan troops and was so confident, could he have a strategy to defeat the enemy?
But seeing Yuan Jun's iron formation getting closer and closer, Zhang He really couldn't figure out what Yan Liang could do to defeat such an iron formation, and his confidence became even weaker.
Amidst the rumbling war drums, Yuan Jun had advanced to a hundred steps away.
At this time, Yan Liang raised his whip and said: "Where is Zhang Junyi?"
"The end will be here."
Zhang He responded with his hand, but suddenly felt uneasy in his heart, because from Yan Liang's tone, he felt that Yan Liang seemed to be taking the initiative to attack.
Yan Liang pointed his riding whip at the enemy formation and said loudly: "I will give you three thousand cavalry to attack Yuan Jun."
Hearing this order, Zhang He was shocked. His premonition came true, and a shadow could not help but appear on his face.
Yuan's army was massive and its formation was impeccable. It was difficult to predict the outcome of the battle with 6,000 troops and horses.
But now, what shocked Zhang He was that Yan Liang not only did not intend to take a defensive position, but actually ordered his own army to actively attack. And he only had 3,000 troops.
Three thousand against thirty thousand, this is not a fight against a stone. No matter how elite the Yan family's army is, there is no chance of victory with such a disparity in strength.
Such a military order is like asking Zhang He to die.
Looking at Yan Liang again, his expression was still calm and confident, and there was nothing wrong with him at all.
Zhang He was depressed, but the military orders were overwhelming. At this critical moment when the two armies were about to fight, how could he hesitate at all.
At that moment, Zhang He could only grit his teeth secretly, received the general's order, and flew away.
Woohoo~~
The horn sounded, and the red flag of the Chinese army waved. The signal to attack had been sent out.
Zhang He, who was in front of the prancing horse formation, took a deep breath, shouted loudly, and came out of the military formation waving his spear. Three thousand elite infantry and cavalry rushed out, following Zhang He and killing the oncoming Yuan army.
Seeing that Yan Jun was the first to attack, Yuan Tan couldn't help showing a hint of surprise on his face.
Looking at the few thousand enemies who were charging towards him like crazy, Yuan Tan's surprise was soon replaced by disdain and indifference.
"Thousands of people want to break through my king's iron formation. Yan Liang, you are really stunned by defeating Cao Cao. Do you think your soldiers are all heavenly soldiers and heavenly generals descending to earth?"
Yuan Tan snorted coldly, raised his whip and shouted: "The army has slowed down its advance, the crossbowmen are firing arrows, and I will kill these bandits fiercely."
After the order was passed, the 30,000-strong Yuan army's formation slowed down its advance. Thousands of crossbowmen behind the halberdiers bent their bows and set arrows, and fired arrows at Yan's army, which was charging up a hundred steps away.
Arrows like rain poured down from the sky and covered the earth.
Although this ordinary crossbow is not as powerful as Yuan Rong's repeating crossbow, which can instantly burst out with astonishing lethality, relying on the numerical advantage, thousands of crossbowmen can fire a volley, and the lethality is also terrifying.
Amid the arrows from the migratory locusts, athletes from the Yan family army kept falling on the charging road, and screams could not be heard.
However, facing the overwhelming rain of arrows, none of these elite warriors who had fought hundreds of battles were afraid. They still held their shields high and charged against the rain of arrows, risking their lives.
There is also Zhang He. Although he questioned Yan Liang's order to attack by force, at this moment, he carried out Yan Liang's military order without hesitation, waving his spear to block the incoming arrows, and scolding the soldiers to march forward bravely without fear of life and death.
.
Seeing his own soldiers charging so bravely, Yan Liang felt even relieved.
If an army like Liu Biao's was hit by such a dense rain of arrows, they would probably be defeated long ago, but this group of soldiers of my own could fight to the death and be worthy of the Yan family's iron army.
One hundred steps...
Fifty steps...
Thirty steps...
Looking at it, Zhang He and the warriors he led were about to crash into the indestructible shield wall and the forest of halberds as dense as a forest.
A hand-to-hand battle with a huge disparity in numbers was about to begin. The Yan family soldiers who were watching the battle were all sweating for their comrades in front. However, Yuan Tan from the Chinese Army Department's face became more and more proud.
He was ready to watch with interest how his own soldiers ravaged the enemy, and ready to enjoy this long-lost victory.
At a critical moment before the two armies clashed, Yan Liang's eyes suddenly condensed and he shouted: "Send the order and withdraw the troops!"
Ming Jin withdraws his troops?!
The generals on the left and right were dumbfounded. They all looked at Yan Liang in surprise, thinking that they heard wrongly.
Ma Yunlu, who was beside him, said in surprise: "General, the two armies are fighting. At this time, if Jin Jin withdraws his troops, General Zhang won't be defeated."
"What I want is for him to be defeated." A trace of secrecy appeared at the corner of Yan Liang's mouth, and he shouted: "What are you still doing? You dare to disobey the general's order."
As soon as Yan Liang became powerful, all the generals were frightened and doubtful, but they did not dare to hesitate any longer and hurriedly passed on the order.
Dang Dang Dang~~
In the blink of an eye, the rapid golden sound suddenly sounded.
Zhang He, who was charging, could not help but be shocked when he heard the sound of gold.
In front of him, Yuan Jun was dozens of steps away. If he turned around and retreated at this time, and Yuan Jun took advantage of the situation to cover up the attack, he would definitely be defeated.
Moreover, not only his three thousand men were going to be defeated, Yuan's army was killing them all the way. Even the three thousand Chinese army commanded by Yan Liang behind them were also going to be crushed.
"What's wrong, my lord? How can you withdraw your troops at this time?"
Countless fears and thoughts flashed through Zhang He's mind, but they were all in vain.
Raise the courage to advance and retreat with gold. This is an ironclad order in the army. Even if Zhang He had a hundred more objections, he would never dare to violate Yan Liang's iron law.
At that moment, Zhang He could only grit his teeth, rein in his horse, and shouted: "The whole army retreats, the whole army retreats immediately——"
Amidst the shouts, Zhang He turned his horse and ran towards the main formation. The three thousand Yan family troops, who were also astonished, could only watch the main formation retreat in fear.
In the middle army, Yuan Tan, who was feeling proud of himself, couldn't help but look strange when he saw Yan Liang suddenly withdrawing his troops.
Immediately afterwards, Yuan Tan was even more ecstatic. He shouted excitedly: "Withdraw your troops before the battle. Yan Liang, the thief, finally made a stupid move. Send the order, and the whole army will retreat to cover the enemy. The enemy army will be defeated in one fell swoop."
"Your Majesty, Yan Liang's move is rather suspicious. If our army rashly launches a formation to pursue us, what should we do if we fall into Yan Liang's trick of luring the enemy?"
Yuan Tan's blood was surging, but Xin Ping beside him remained calm and spoke out words to remind him urgently.
His body shook, and Yuan Tan's frantic mind immediately sobered up a bit.
He was excited, but he didn't dare to forget the scars caused by Yu Yanliang's previous tricks. After Xin Ping reminded him, Yuan Tan immediately realized that he shouldn't be too impulsive.
After thinking for a moment, Yuan Tan revised his order and ordered the entire army to continue the pursuit, but not to disrupt the formation.
Therefore, Yuan's army of 30,000 men maintained their formation and only accelerated their pace to pursue Yan's army.
Without forming a formation to pursue, the pace would have to be slowed down. Zhang He and his thousands of soldiers and horses were lucky enough to escape being killed by Yuan's army.
"Yuan Tan, this boy, really has a long memory. It's very good. It also saves me from losing soldiers."
Yan Liang sneered, Yuan Jun's every move seemed to be what he expected.
Seeing that Zhang He's troops had widened the distance from Yuan's army, Yan Liang saw that the opportunity was close, so he also mobilized his horse and led his troops to withdraw south.
Yan Liang led his "defeated army" and simply abandoned Yanling City and rushed directly to Huoshui a few miles south of the city.
This river is not a big river. In the summer, you can barely row a boat. Now in the middle of winter, the water in the river has dropped sharply. At this time, the water is only as deep as your knees.
The six thousand "defeated troops" did not care about the cold winter, so they waded across the river and escaped in confusion.
As soon as Yan Liang passed by, Yuan Tan led his army to pursue him.
With the river blocking the road in front of him, Yuan Tan suddenly realized what he was up to and thought that Yan Liang was a thief. It turned out that he wanted to lure him to at least attack him halfway across the river.
Yuan Tan laughed at him and ordered his scouts to explore the depth of the water. When he learned that the water was only as deep as the water cover, all Yuan Tan's wariness disappeared.
"It's a joke that such shallow water is trying to block the path of my army. Send the order, and the whole army will wade across the river and continue the pursuit."
At Yuan Tan's order, 30,000 Yuan's troops rolled up their trouser legs and headed for the other side.
Even when wading into the water, Yuan Tan maintained his formation at all times, leaving no room for Yan Liang to slip through.
A few hundred steps away, Yan Liang stood on a small slope, looking at Yuan Jun who was crossing the river from a distance, a sarcastic sneer quietly showing on his stern face.
Seeing that Yuan Jun was nearly halfway across the river, Yan Liang whipped up his horse whip and said loudly: "It's almost time. Let's light up the smoke and send a signal to Xu Yuanzhi."
