Chapter 1524
Mongol Interception, Uncle Bao's Second Tribulation
Chapter 1524 Mongol Blockade, Uncle Bao in a Dilemma
Meanwhile, on the desolate plains southwest of Fengzhou City, the sound of rapid hoofbeats rolled in like thunder.
Qin Qiong led ten thousand elite Imperial Guards, galloping swiftly in the morning light. Their dark armor gleamed coldly in the rising sun, and their warhorses were exceptionally swift, their breath condensing into frost in the cold wind.
Qin Qiong, riding a yellow horse, held a tiger-headed golden spear and constantly scanned the terrain ahead. This wilderness was open and flat, with nothing to hide except for a few scattered clumps of dead trees. It was an excellent place for cavalry to fight in the field, but it was also easy to encounter the Mongol cavalry troops that were constantly patrolling around Fengzhou City.
Therefore, he remained constantly on edge, sending out scouts along the way to investigate, fearing a surprise attack by Mongol cavalry.
"General, we have spotted a large Mongol army about ten miles ahead!"
A scout rushed back with a hurried voice.
"There are about ten thousand iron cavalry, and an elite force of about five hundred men dressed in black armor and wielding scimitars are arrayed on the wasteland. It seems they were prepared in advance!"
Qin Qiong's heart sank, and he quickly reined in his warhorse. The ten thousand elite Imperial Guards behind him also stopped and formed a neat defensive formation, with spears like a forest and bows and crossbows nocked, instantly entering a state of alert.
He raised his hand to his forehead and looked in the direction the scout had indicated. Sure enough, on the distant horizon, a dark mass of figures appeared, with banners waving. These were the wolf-skin banners of the Mongol tribes, with a lifelike gray wolf embroidered on the central banner. Under the banner stood a general dressed in silver armor, with a jade belt around his waist and a calm expression. He was none other than Ögedei, the son of Temujin.
Ögedei rode a white steed, holding a jewel-encrusted scimitar in his hand, his gaze calmly fixed on Qin Qiong's elite Imperial Guards.
Behind him were ten thousand Mongol cavalrymen, each clad in leather armor, wielding long spears and scimitars, their warhorses neighing incessantly, exuding a fierce aura; while the five hundred Kheshig soldiers wore heavy black armor, their helmets adorned with white feathers, their scimitars gleaming with a chilling light, and powerful bows slung at their waists, their ranks as straight as iron, radiating a terrifying sense of oppression.
These were Genghis Khan's personal guards, the most elite of the Mongol cavalry. Each one was a warrior chosen from among thousands, seasoned in countless battles, and possessed unparalleled fighting prowess.
Qin Qiong's heart sank. He hadn't expected Ögedei to bring so many troops to intercept them. Moreover, judging from the enemy's formation, it was clear that they had planned this all along and wanted to hold off their reinforcements.
It seems that the Mongolian people's intelligence system is not as rudimentary as that of traditional grassland tribes. On the contrary, it is quite accomplished, as evidenced by its ability to penetrate Yuzhou so quickly and ascertain the arrival time and number of their reinforcements.
He knew very well that Ögedei's goal was not to fight them head-on, but to buy time and wait for the main force of the Mongol camp outside Fengzhou City to arrive and form an encirclement. At that time, no matter how elite their 10,000 Imperial Guards would be, they would not escape the fate of annihilation.
"General, the Mongols are trying to stall us!"
"Why don't we just charge straight in? With the sheer force of the Imperial Guards, they might be able to break through their formation!"
The deputy general beside him said in a deep voice.
"No, those five hundred Kheshig soldiers are the elite of the Mongols. They are fierce in battle and have a tight formation. If we want to break through their defenses, we will inevitably suffer huge casualties."
"Moreover, Ögedei Khan has 10,000 Mongol cavalry under his command, and the Mongol cavalry are skilled at flanking maneuvers. If we charge rashly and get caught up in a close battle, it will give them an opportunity to take advantage of us."
Qin Qiong shook his head, his gaze falling on the Kheshig army behind Ögedei Khan.
Having fought for many years, he had gained some understanding of the tactics of the Mongol cavalry—they were not good at head-on confrontations, but were extremely adept at using the speed advantage of their cavalry to outflank and encircle, and then wear down the enemy with their superb horse archery skills.
The Kheshig army even surpassed them in this regard, not only possessing superb horsemanship but also formidable close-combat capabilities, making them one of the few Mongol cavalry units capable of briefly confronting some of the Daoist soldiers head-on.
Now that Ögedei has deployed the Kheshig army in the center of the formation, he clearly intends to rely on their formidable fighting power to stabilize the situation and buy time. "But if we don't charge forward, what will happen to Fengzhou City?"
The lieutenant asked with some doubt.
"Although General Yinglong has entered the city, the defending troops inside have suffered heavy casualties and may not be able to hold out for long. If we cannot arrive in time, the consequences will be unimaginable once Fengzhou City falls!"
Qin Qiong was well aware of this principle. He looked up towards the direction of Fengzhou City and could vaguely see the flags fluttering on the city wall. He felt a mix of emotions.
Fengzhou City is like a taut string that could snap at any moment, and their reinforcements are the lifeline that can make the string strong again.
But Ögedei Khan stood before them like a boulder, blocking their path between them and Fengzhou City, making Qin Qiong increasingly conflicted.
If he were to choose a safer option, he would prefer to lead his troops to retreat to the rear of Yuzhou and wait for Yuchi Gong's main force of the Imperial Guard to arrive before rushing to the aid of Fengzhou City. This would obviously preserve the manpower of these 10,000 elite Imperial Guard cavalry and reduce the risk.
Can Fengzhou City wait until then?
Although General Yinglong was a formidable warrior, the city's garrison was already exhausted and supplies were scarce. If the main force of the Mongol camp were to launch a full-scale attack on the city, Yinglong alone would likely not be able to hold out for long.
Once Fengzhou falls, the northern gateway to Yuzhou will be completely wide open, allowing the Mongol cavalry to advance unimpeded. Even if reinforcements arrive, they will face greater pressure and pay a higher price.
However, if they choose to force a breakthrough at this time and lead 10,000 elite Imperial Guards to charge against Ögedei's formation, even if they succeed in breaking through and entering Fengzhou City, they will inevitably suffer heavy casualties.
Moreover, once the main force of the Mongol camp discovers the situation here, they will surely send troops to rush over quickly. At that time, they will not only have to face the pressure of the siege inside the city, but also the encirclement outside the city.
Even if they were to find themselves in a desperate situation of being attacked from both sides when entering the city, it is estimated that only a handful of these 10,000 elite Imperial Guards would be able to enter the city alive.
That would not only fail to save Fengzhou City, but would also cost the city its 10,000 elite cavalry, making the situation even more critical and resulting in more harm than good.
"General, the Mongols have begun to move!"
The deputy general's voice interrupted Qin Qiong's thoughts.
Qin Qiong looked up and saw that Ögedei had lightly waved his scimitar, and the Mongol cavalry behind him began to move slowly, forming a huge arc formation and pressing towards them.
The five hundred Kheshig soldiers remained steadfast in the center, as solid as a rock, but their powerful bows were already drawn, arrows pointing directly at the Imperial Guards, clearly intending to wear down their fighting strength with a rain of arrows.
"Pass on my order: all troops, form ranks and defend! Archers, prepare!"
Qin Qiong made a decisive decision to first stabilize the situation and observe Ögedei Khan's movements.
"No one is allowed to charge without my order!"
Following Qin Qiong's command, ten thousand elite Imperial Guards cavalry quickly adjusted their formation, forming a tight square. The soldiers in the front row held long spears, forming a wall of spears, while the archers in the rear row drew their bows and aimed at the slowly approaching Mongol cavalry.
(End of this chapter)