strictlysupreme Chapter 2253 No Other Choice
Chapter 2253 No Other Choice
The deep, inky night sky was bathed in an eerie, dim red light by countless torches, burning supplies, and the still-burning flames of war emanating from the city of Jianghuai and the riverbanks.
The shouts of battle, the clash of weapons, the dying cries, and the mournful neighing of warhorses, like an endless symphony of death, rolled and surged in the night wind.
Zhang Shijie's 20,000 elite naval troops, like a tempered blade, pierced the Allied forces from their weakest flank and rear, causing considerable chaos and casualties in the initial stages.
However, Gongsun Yi was no ordinary general. After a brief moment of shock and anger, he quickly made the most realistic and ruthless deployment.
The heavy force, mainly composed of the "Iron Wall Battalion" of the Youzhou Army, turned around to meet the attack, attempting to use the thick infantry formation and tenacious resistance to hold back, wear down, or even break Zhang Shijie's sharp blade.
The battle quickly escalated into a brutal, head-on confrontation.
The naval soldiers are brave and skilled in close-quarters combat and chaotic battles, but they are vulnerable when facing densely packed formations and relatively well-equipped armor.
Moreover, the Youzhou heavy infantry, determined to "hold the rear" to the death, had their offensive momentum quickly contained.
The narrow riverbed terrain is also not conducive to large-scale flanking maneuvers.
Although Zhang Shijie's troops continuously inflicted casualties on the Youzhou army, forcing them to retreat step by step, their own advance became extremely difficult and slow, with each step forward costing them blood.
A new stalemate has formed on the battlefield. Zhang Shijie is tightly entangled by the Youzhou army and finds it difficult to break through quickly to directly threaten Gongsun Yi's core or effectively support Feng Mulan's precarious front.
Zhang Shijie was extremely anxious.
Covered in blood, he wielded a specially made naval combat longsword with a hooked blade and personally charged ahead, cutting down several fierce enemy soldiers in an attempt to create an opening for his troops, but with limited success.
He looked up and saw that in the midst of the battle, Feng Mulan's red flag appeared so small and fluttering under the onslaught of the enemy's black tide, as if it could be submerged at any moment.
On the walls of Jianghuai City, the defending troops' long-range support continued, but its effectiveness was greatly reduced in the darkness and chaos of battle.
Time was turning against the Chu army, bit by bit.
In this suffocating stalemate and anxiety—
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"
Three specially made signal arrows, burning with dazzling orange-red flames, shot into the sky from the west of Jianghuai City, roughly in the direction of Feng Mulan's battle formation, with a sharp whistle!
They traced three brief but incredibly striking trails across the dark night sky, rising to their highest point before slowly falling, trailing their luminous tails.
The light from this signal arrow not only illuminated a small patch of bloody battlefield below, but also struck Zhang Shijie's anxious heart like a bolt of lightning!
He abruptly reined in his horse, looked up and stared intently at the three falling rockets, his pupils suddenly contracting.
This was not an ordinary signal for communication or distress; it was an emergency signal representing a specific tactical intention that he and Feng Mulan had briefly discussed before the battle!
Its meaning, combined with the current battle situation, Zhang Shijie instantly understood:
First attack Youzhou to demoralize their troops, then launch a combined attack on Gongsun Yi!
Feng Mulan was telling him not to rush to break through the Youzhou army's blockade to rescue her directly, but to concentrate all his efforts on attacking the Youzhou army in front of him!
If the Youzhou army can be severely damaged, thrown into disarray, or even shaken and routed, then the balance of the entire allied forces' battle formation will be completely broken.
If the Youzhou army were to collapse or fall into chaos, it would not only shake the morale of the allied forces, but would also directly expose the flanks and rear of Gongsun Yi's scorpion cavalry!
At that time, Feng Mulan can stabilize the situation from the front and even launch a counterattack, while Zhang Shijie can launch a fierce attack from the flank and rear, thus forming a pincer movement against Gongsun Yi's main force!
However, this plan was extremely risky, practically dancing on the edge of a knife!
The premise for executing this plan is that Feng Mulan must withstand the full-scale attack of the most elite and frenzied Scorpion Clan cavalry, personally led by Gongsun Yi, during the period when she concentrates her forces to attack the Youzhou army!
If, during this process, Feng Mulan's defenses are breached prematurely, she herself will be killed in battle or captured, and the western gate of Jianghuai will fall.
Therefore, even if Zhang Shijie defeats the Youzhou army, he will lose his main support point.
Caught in a pincer movement between the returning Scorpion Clan cavalry and the possibly reorganized Youzhou routs, Jianghuai City could fall at that very moment!
"Your Highness... you've staked your own safety and the safety of Jianghuai City entirely on whether this humble general can quickly defeat the Youzhou army!"
Zhang Shijie was shocked, and his hand holding the knife hilt trembled slightly.
He looked in the direction of Feng Mulan's battle flag, his eyes filled with admiration, worry, and heavy pressure.
He knew all too well how much pressure Feng Mulan was under at that moment; she was using her own flesh and blood to buy him time and opportunity to turn the tide of the battle!
Are you hesitating?
Of course I hesitated!
This is a huge bet!
It concerns the life of the Imperial Concubine, the safety of Jianghuai, and even the success or failure of His Majesty's entire strategic plan!
However, Zhang Shijie looked around.
The battle was at a stalemate, with the Youzhou army putting up a fierce resistance. If they continued to try to break through the enemy lines to rescue Feng Mulan directly, it was very likely that Feng Mulan's troops would collapse before reinforcements arrived.
However, if we divide our forces or change our strategy, we risk dispersing our strength and having no chance of winning.
Although risky, Feng Mulan's signal pointed out the only possible path to break the current deadlock.
Concentrate our strengths, attack one key point, and break the deadlock!
"At this point, there is no other choice!"
Zhang Shijie gritted his teeth, all hesitation vanished from his eyes, leaving only a resolute determination to burn his bridges.
He trusted Feng Mulan's judgment and resilience, and was also keenly aware of the responsibilities he bore.
At this moment, only by defeating the Youzhou army in front of us with the fastest speed and the fiercest offensive can we live up to the Empress's trust and turn the tide!
"Give the order to the entire army!"
Zhang Shijie's voice was booming, drowning out the noise of the battlefield; his voice was filled with an undeniable killing intent.
"Abandon engagements in other directions, concentrate all forces on the front! Target—the main camp of the Youzhou 'Iron Wall Battalion'! We'll cut them through like we're shoveling a ship!"
"Archers, all arrows, concentrate on the enemy's central banner!"
"Axemen and leaping squads, follow the rain of arrows and charge in! Target their officers and standard-bearers!"
"Spearmen, advance on both flanks and squeeze their formation; don't let them maneuver freely!"
"Tell the men that the Empress is fighting a desperate battle to buy us time! The more rebels we kill in Youzhou, the less pressure the Empress will face! This is our chance to defeat the enemy; there is no turning back!"
When the order was given, although the naval soldiers under Zhang Shijie did not understand the detailed strategy, their commander's resolute spirit inspired everyone.
They roared in unison, quickly adjusted their deployment, and abandoned their engagement with the scattered enemy forces on the flank.