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Chapter 704: Defeat Chen Xi by the Jishui River?
🕑 Added 2024-10-05 05:05:53 +0000 UTC"Fight to the death, never retreat!" Chen Xi's soldiers, even after being pierced by spears, gripped the spears tightly and hacked at the enemy horses' legs with all their strength.
Some soldiers, determined to the point of being trampled into the ground, rolled under the horses' bellies, sacrificing their lives to cut off the horses' legs and stop the cavalry charge.
Slowly, the speed of the cavalry began to decrease, but so did the number of Chen Xi's soldiers. Some cavalry even made it to within ten steps of Chen Xi, only to be unseated before they could get any closer.
"Get out of my way!" Xu Chu roared as he cleaved through several of Yuan Shao’s officers, carving a path through the army of the Lü brothers, who were fighting desperately to block his way.
"Ugh!" Xu Chu was struck in the shoulder by an arrow, but without even glancing at it, he gutted the opposing officer with one swing, decapitated another on his flank with the next, and then, with all his might, picked up a broken spear and hurled it forward, skewering three enemies in a row.
Such ferocity quickly cleared a path for Xu Chu, with no one daring to stand in his way. However, the soldiers under the Lü brothers' command had successfully joined forces with Wen Chou's troops and were now fiercely encircling the few remaining soldiers under Chen Xi's command.
By this time, Chen Xi had managed to stabilize the defensive line, and Wen Chou ceased his suicidal charges, intending instead to annihilate the surrounded Chen Xi with his superior forces. The "Chen" character on the command banner was too conspicuous, and even Xu You hadn't expected Chen Xi to personally lead his troops.
"Strategist, retreat quickly!" Xu Chu roared towards Chen Xi after breaking through the encirclement. He had lost many of his men to carve out this passage.
"No need," Chen Xi said coldly, his eyes fixed on the direction behind Wen Chou. "Reinforcements have arrived!"
Zhuge Liang and Fa Zheng, upon receiving reports from the scouts after the signal arrow was fired, immediately followed Chen Xi's orders and led all the reserve soldiers out in full force. However, due to the distance, it still took some time for them to arrive.
"What a pity," Xu You said, frowning as he observed the reinforcements approaching from the rear. Although the intended effect had been achieved, he was still reluctant to let Chen Xi escape so easily.
"It seems they were prepared, but they didn't expect me to trade cavalry for infantry," Xu You remarked, glancing back at Liu Bei's army, which had originally dispersed for quicker marching but had now reformed into a solid formation. The adjustments in their formation were clearly designed to counter cavalry.
"Wen Chou, try to shoot him!" Xu You's eyes flashed with a cold gleam as he gave the order to Wen Chou.
"It won't work. I tried before. His spiritual power must be immense; all arrows veer off course when they come within ten meters of him. Moreover, any soldier who gets too close inexplicably collapses," Wen Chou replied, shaking his head. "It's impossible to kill him."
"What about the command banner? In this situation, at best, we've only slightly outmaneuvered him," Xu You inquired. The failure to kill Chen Xi was a significant regret, and if all they could achieve was a minor victory, Xu You would be far from satisfied.
"No luck. Every arrow aimed at the banner has been deflected. There must be another expert by his side," Wen Chou said gravely.
"If we continue fighting, we won't win. They were prepared. Although my original strategic objective wasn't focused here, retreating like this leaves a bitter taste," Xu You sighed.
"Then let's keep fighting. We might still have a chance to wipe them out," Wen Chou said, completely ignoring the gaping wounds on his body, his eyes bloodshot with rage.
"The chances are too slim," Xu You replied, shaking his head. He glanced up at the moon, which had shifted to the west, and then at the still-bleeding wounds on Wen Chou. Sighing deeply, he continued, "Since the strategy has been accomplished, there's no need to waste more soldiers. Pull back and create some distance. I'll meet with Chen Zichuan and see how he talks now, which will make it easier to deal with him in the future."
Reluctant though he was, Wen Chou obeyed the order. He and Lü Kuang immediately sounded the retreat, quickly distancing themselves from Liu Bei’s forces. Similarly, Chen Xi ordered his remaining soldiers to retreat and form a defensive formation rather than pursue the enemy.
Soon, Zhuge Liang and Zhang Yan’s forces joined up with Chen Xi’s remaining troops, shielding the central group. Both sides stood ready, with spears and swords pointed at each other, the atmosphere tense and oppressive.
"Zichuan, are you alright?" Zhuge Liang and Fa Zheng immediately understood that things hadn't gone well upon surveying the battlefield.
"I'm fine," Chen Xi replied, his eyes cold as he glanced at them before turning to stare at Xu You on the opposite side.
"Marquis Chen, would you dare to come out from under your command banner?" Xu You called out, observing the semicircular formation of Liu Bei’s troops with a heavy heart, though his expression remained calm.
"Xu Ziyuan, the officer of Jizhou?" Chen Xi urged his horse forward, stepping out of the formation. For the first time, there were bloodstains on his white robes, which glowed eerily under the moonlight.
"Strategist," Xu Chu said nervously, but he saw Chen Xi wave him off with a slight gesture. Although Xu Chu was uneasy, he did not follow as he usually would.
"A nobody like me is honored to receive such attention from Marquis Chen," Xu You said, cupping his hands towards Chen Xi in a gesture of respect. His tone was calm and his manner refined, but Chen Xi could clearly sense the underlying mockery.
"So you are Xu Ziyuan?" Chen Xi frowned, showing no signs of anger at Xu You’s taunting. The victor has the right to mock the defeated, and at this moment, it seemed that this was indeed the case.
"Who else would I be if not Xu You? Did Marquis Chen expect someone else?" Xu You’s refined silk robe fluttered gracefully in the night breeze, giving him an almost otherworldly presence.
"Now you seem to match the description," Chen Xi replied, nodding slightly. The wind and sand obscured his expression, making it hard for Xu You to read.
Chen Xi was surprised to find that Xu You was entirely different from the intelligence reports. The reports described him as greedy and unprincipled, but in reality, he exuded an aura of ethereal grace and command, a far cry from the image of a corrupt official.
"Hahaha, people often say that Chen Zichuan plans for the worst, but did you ever consider that the Jishui River crossing would be cut off by me, Chiping would be taken by me, and Feicheng’s granary would be set ablaze?" Xu You laughed, making no effort to hide his actions.
"Oh? And what are you trying to say? That you defeated Chen Zichuan at Linyi?" Chen Xi asked calmly.
"Do you really want to fight another battle here, sacrificing your soldiers’ lives just to save face? Even now, your forces are still outnumbered by mine, and your cavalry is even fewer," Xu You sneered, his voice loud enough for all the soldiers on both sides to hear.
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