vstars Chapter 1996 A Heroic Hero! Covering the Rear!
Chapter 1996 A Heroic Hero! Covering the Rear!
The Tang army chose the western side, where the Chu army's forces were relatively weak, as the breakthrough point because it was close to the mountains and forests, and once they broke through, they could use the terrain to maneuver.
"Warriors of the Great Tang, follow me—break through and survive!"
Liu Hongji took the lead, his spear gleaming like a dragon, and charged into the Chu army formation on the west side.
Gongsun Wei followed closely behind, his blade flashing as he slashed fiercely.
"kill--!"
The will to survive ignited the last courage of the Tang army's remnants. With bloodshot eyes and wild roars, they followed their commander's footsteps, like a giant wedge, fiercely driving into the Chu army's encirclement.
This was a completely desperate charge, with no formation whatsoever, only the most primal killing and the desire to survive.
The Chu army clearly did not expect the Tang army to abandon their camp so decisively and choose to break out. The western defense line was torn open with a bloody gap by the Tang army's desperate attack.
Arrows rained down from behind, and Tang soldiers fell one after another, but those in front dared not turn back and charged forward with all their might.
Swords and spears clashed, blood and flesh flew everywhere, and screams of agony rose and fell.
Gongsun Wei and Liu Hongji led the charge, their bodies covered in blood, killing countless Chu soldiers who blocked their path, while also sustaining several wounds themselves.
They had only one thought in their minds: Break out! They had to break out!
However, Xue Huaide was not about to let them have their way.
Upon discovering the Tang army's intentions, he immediately dispatched troops to surround and intercept them.
Every step the Tang army took to break through the encirclement came at an extremely heavy cost.
This breakout was destined from the very beginning to be a bloody path paved with corpses.
Whether they can truly break through the encirclement remains to be seen, but at least they chose to fight to the last moment rather than sit and wait for death.
On the official road leading northeast from Luoxia Mountain, dust billowed and hooves thundered, as a brutal pursuit and escape unfolded.
The remnants of the Tang army who had barely managed to break out of the camp no longer cared about formation or discipline. Like sheep being driven by wolves, they fled desperately along the road.
The ranks were filled with the wails of wounded soldiers, warhorses that had lost their masters ran wildly through the crowd, and abandoned armor and banners were everywhere, a desolate scene of utter defeat.
General Gongsun Wei rode alongside Liu Hongji, constantly shouting and trying to rally the scattered soldiers and maintain a minimum level of order, but with little success.
Behind him, the large banner bearing the character "Xue," representing Xue Huaide and the threat of death, clung to him like a leech.
The battle cries of the Chu cavalry grew closer, and the tremors of their hooves pounding the earth came clearly from behind, striking the hearts of every fleeing Tang soldier.
"This can't go on like this!"
Gongsun Wei suddenly reined in his horse and looked back. He saw dust rising into the sky in the distance, and Xue Huaide's elite Chu cavalry was like a sharp sickle that was constantly approaching, about to catch up with the chaotic and defeated army.
His face was covered in blood and sweat, and his eyes were filled with anxiety and determination: "We're too slow. It's only a matter of time before we get caught! Someone has to stay behind to hold off the pursuers, otherwise none of us will be able to escape!"
Upon hearing this, Liu Hongji's expression changed: "General Gongsun! We are both commanders, how can I let you risk your life alone? If we're going to live, we'll live together!"
"Confused!"
Gongsun Wei shouted sternly, grabbed Liu Hongji's reins, and stared intently at him.
"General Liu! Now is not the time to act rashly!"
"Your ability to command troops surpasses mine; only you can lead more men back alive to General Wang's command!"
"These brothers are the seeds of our Great Tang Dynasty, we cannot let them all perish here! I will take care of the rearguard action!"
Without a word, he abruptly turned his horse around, facing the fleeing soldiers, and shouted at the top of his lungs: "Those who are willing to follow me, Gongsun Wei, to cut off the rear, stay! Those who are not afraid of death, follow me! For our comrades, let's fight our way out!"
His voice echoed across the chaotic official road, carrying a poignant and moving quality.
Some of the panicked soldiers stopped in their tracks, and some routing officers gripped their weapons tightly again.
As they watched their commander's resolute back and the pursuers closing in, a surge of fighting spirit was ignited within them.
Soon, about three thousand soldiers, most of whom were originally Gongsun Wei's personal guards and some brave soldiers who volunteered to stay, quickly broke away from the main force.
They formed a somewhat thin but exceptionally determined blocking formation behind Gongsun Wei.
"Brother Gongsun!"
Liu Hongji's eyes were filled with tears. He knew this was the only option, and it was the time that Gongsun Wei had bought for him and for the remaining 20,000 troops with his life.
"Come on!"
Gongsun Wei didn't turn his head, but simply raised his long sword high, pointing it in the direction from which the pursuers were coming.
"Tell General Wang that I, Gongsun Wei, have not disgraced him!"
Without further hesitation, Liu Hongji lashed his horse's rump with his whip and roared hoarsely at the fleeing troops ahead: "All troops, listen to my command! Speed up! Do not let General Gongsun down!"
The remaining main force of the Tang army, as if whipped, fled even more desperately in the northwest.
Gongsun Wei, leading his three thousand men who were determined to fight to the death, quickly set up a defensive line using a slightly raised hill and an abandoned earthen wall beside the official road.
The spearmen led the way, the crossbowmen occupied the remaining earthen walls, and the cavalry dispersed to the flanks, preparing for a final counterattack.
They all knew that staying meant death, but a calm madness burned in their eyes—to exchange their lives for the lives of many more.
Almost the instant they had gained a foothold, Xue Huaide took the lead and led the vanguard of the Chu army cavalry to attack!
Like a black torrent of iron, it crashed into this flimsy defense with unstoppable force!
"Release the arrows!" Gongsun Wei shouted hoarsely.
Scattered arrows shot out from the earthen ramparts, felling a few Chu cavalrymen at the forefront, but they were no match for the onslaught of this steel torrent.
"kill!"
Xue Huaide's gaze turned cold, and he instantly locked onto the location of the enemy's commander, Gongsun Wei.
His halberd transformed into a deadly streak of light as he charged directly toward the central army where Gongsun Wei was stationed.
He must kill this Tang general who dared to cover his retreat and hinder him from expanding his victories!
"Protect the general!"
Gongsun Wei's personal guards, their eyes red, rushed forward without regard for their own safety, trying to stop Xue Huaide with their own flesh and blood.
However, courage seems so pale in the face of an absolute disparity in strength.
Xue Huaide's halberd was like the scythe of death; with each swing, it brought forth a storm of blood and gore. Gongsun Wei's personal guards were easily torn apart like paper, either killed or wounded.
Knowing he could not escape his fate today, Gongsun Wei was instead filled with ferocity. He roared, spurred his warhorse, brandished his long sword, and took the initiative to meet Xue Huaide!