Ch.61Plains Battle (2)

“…For these reasons, the enemy is reportedly heading toward Luzhou without having had a chance to rest.”

I nodded at Elunka’s report.

Then I looked at the khans and continued speaking.

“Now is our perfect opportunity.”

To reiterate, Western Xia’s forces numbered 100,000.

Attacking such an army with just tens of thousands of cavalry was practically suicidal.

Yet it was clear that now was indeed the perfect opportunity.

This was because the enemy had neither proper rest nor water supply until now.

If these enemies safely reached Luzhou, they would certainly recover their fighting strength.

In that case, even if our forces attacked based on mobility and firepower, we would likely suffer casualties due to the difference in troop numbers.

But the situation was different with the enemy unable to drink water or rest properly.

In this state, the enemy had neither the strength to block our attack nor the power to resist.

Fortunately, the current distance between our forces and the enemy wasn’t very far.

It was about a 30-minute ride on horseback.

Therefore, we needed to charge at full speed and launch a surprise attack on the enemy.

“The Great Khan is right. We must sweep down upon the enemy now.”

“This is our opportunity.”

Hulitu, Bulqa, and Chalukhab all agreed with my opinion.

Additionally, Elunka, who usually maintained a calm demeanor, also advocated for attacking now.

With this, all the khans supported the attack.

In this situation, only my son Khasar looked at me with a somewhat worried expression.

“Do you have something to say, Khasar?”

“I apologize, Great Khan.”

“No need. I want to know your opinion. Speak freely.”

Looking uncomfortable, Khasar swallowed dryly before stepping forward in front of everyone.

Then he began explaining why he had such a worried expression.

“I don’t believe our brave steppe warriors will lose to Western Xia’s forces. However, since the enemy is a massive army of 100,000, the commander leading them must surely be no ordinary person.”

As Khasar said, the likelihood of a commander leading 100,000 troops being an ordinary person was very low.

From our perspective, we hoped the enemy commander would be someone like Li Deyun who only cared about his own position. But seeing how he had led the march almost to Khara-Khoto without major issues, his military talent was clearly exceptional.

“Therefore, I believe we should employ all available firepower at our disposal.”

“What firepower do you have in mind?”

“Trebuchets and siege engineers.”

“Trebuchets and siege engineers…?”

At my question, Khasar stepped forward and began drawing on the ground.

Since the center of the ger had a dirt floor, lines quickly formed following Khasar’s finger.

“As you can see, the enemy is moving toward Luzhou. So we should set up trebuchets to the west to intercept them.”

Elunka questioned Khasar’s statement.

“Why the west? If we want to attack Luzhou, wouldn’t it be more advantageous for our forces to occupy Luzhou first and attack the enemy from there?”

“Jadaran Khan is correct. However, as in Central Plains tactics, we must give the enemy hope of survival so they will disperse.”

“Ah…”

Thirsty people would do anything to drink water.

Therefore, if we didn’t leave the path to Luzhou open during battle, the enemy would likely fight with gritted teeth.

So rather than occupying Luzhou, we would leave it unattended to make the enemy flee there.

This way, the enemy would choose to retreat to Luzhou rather than risk their lives fighting.

“If that’s the case, wouldn’t it be better to position the trebuchets to the east? Since the wind is blowing from the east.”

As Elunka said, the wind was currently blowing from the east.

This meant that if we launched stones from trebuchets, their range might be reduced.

“Our cavalry should attack with their backs to the east. That way, the cavalry can effectively intercept the enemy.”

“Wouldn’t that expose the trebuchets to the enemy?”

To this, Khasar nodded and pointed to the west.

There was a long line Khasar had drawn there.

“According to the tamma’s report, there’s a hill to the west. If we set up trebuchets there, the enemy won’t be able to attack them recklessly.”

Everyone fell silent at Khasar’s confident statement.

This was because the ulus had only ever deployed trebuchets on plains until now.

Therefore, they had no idea how to set up trebuchets on a hill.

“Very well, Khasar. As you say, setting up trebuchets on the hill would be advantageous for our forces. But how do you plan to install them there?”

At my question, Khasar bowed before looking at me.

Then he addressed me with a confident expression.

“If we use siege engineers to set up scaffolding, it will be possible.”

* * *

With Munglig’s help, I mounted my horse.

After helping me, Munglig looked at me and spoke softly.

“You’ve raised your son well, brother?”

“What do you mean?”

Khasar had suggested setting up scaffolding to install trebuchets.

Honestly, I had no idea Khasar would propose such a good method.

Scaffolding, called “jiashoujia” in Chinese characters and “bige” in our language, was a metal construction auxiliary structure commonly seen at construction sites.

In modern times, it served to support buildings as they were built higher to prevent collapse.

But in this era, it was used more broadly.

This was because even pulleys like cranes were considered scaffolding.

As a result, in medieval China, it sometimes referred to all construction tools used for building, such as ladders and extensions.

In any case, such scaffolding had been used since ancient Egyptian pyramid construction.

However, it had never been used in Mongolia, where there were no buildings.

But it seemed Khasar had learned it from the people of Khara-Khoto during his stay there.

“Sending siege engineers up the hill first, then setting up pulleys to lift disassembled trebuchets one by one for installation… did he learn this thinking from you, brother?”

I waved my hand at Munglig’s words.

“I never taught him such things.”

I truly had never taught him.

Khasar had simply learned and applied it on his own.

“Anyway, your son is impressive. Coming up with such methods on his own.”

“Khasar has always been clever.”

I couldn’t help but clear my throat at the praise of my son.

Munglig giggled and poked my side.

“So you’re weak to praise about your child too, brother.”

“A-ahem. Stop talking nonsense and prepare for battle.”

At the mention of battle, Munglig nodded and began checking his saddle.

A bow reinforced with cowhide, three quivers of arrows with sharp arrowheads, a curved sword resembling a crescent moon, and a mace were attached to the saddle.

The curved sword was necessary to cut enemy throats.

The mace was needed to crush enemy heads.

And the bow and arrows were needed to attack pursuing enemies from horseback.

The only difference from usual was the addition of one more quiver of arrows.

In this battle, we planned to use both shock tactics based on mobility and firepower tactics using arrows.

That’s why I had ordered everyone to prepare one extra quiver of arrows, unlike usual.

“All preparations are complete, Great Khan.”

At the mention of battle, Munglig quickly changed his expression and reported to me with a serious face.

I responded with a nod instead of words.

Then I grabbed the reins and slowly moved forward.

As I stepped forward, all the warriors in armor looked at me and bowed their heads.

“Great Khan.”

“Lord of the Four Seas.”

Receiving the reverent gazes of the khans, I moved to the front of the unit.

There, the blue flag with the sun and moon symbolizing the ulus was fluttering.

I pulled on the reins to turn my head.

Then I looked at everyone and slowly began to sing.

“Blue souls born in the great steppe,

Blessed by the eternal sky.

The hot earth is soft,

It’s time to grip the reins tightly and ride.

Take up your sword and cut the enemy’s throat.

Hangarad flies from east to west.

Daichi Tengri’s sturdy stone will surge from the hill and crush the enemy.

Do not catch those who flee to the spring.

They are already wolf food.

Children of rising destiny.

The eternal ulus that can never be extinguished.

The chill emanating from the fields

Where horses spent the night becomes warm as sunlight.

Take up your mace and crush the enemy’s head.

Hangarad flies from east to west.

Daichi Tengri’s sturdy stone will surge from the hill and crush the enemy.

Do not catch those who flee to the spring.

They are already wolf food.

Children of rising destiny.

The eternal ulus that can never be extinguished.”

As my song ended, the khans adjusted their posture.

Then they sang the refrain in loud voices.

“Hangarad flies from east to west.

Daichi Tengri’s sturdy stone will surge from the hill and crush the enemy.

Do not catch those who flee to the spring.

They are already wolf food.

Children of rising destiny.

The eternal ulus that can never be extinguished.”

As the khans sang along, all the soldiers behind them followed with loud voices.

As the singing reached its climax, I raised my hand to focus everyone’s attention.

Then I pointed to the sky.

All the soldiers looked up at the sky.

The bright sunlight began to fade as it was gradually covered by a wide cloud.

This naturally created a cool shadow on the ground.

As the shadow formed, I immediately drew my sword.

Then Bekhter beside me took out a leather flute.

Pwooooooooooo.

“Chaaaaaaarge!”

I roared at the top of my lungs.

At that sound, all the steppe warriors began to charge.

The ground shook.

And cavalry galloped across it.

When the shadow that had fallen on the empty space disappeared, dust was swirling in its place.