Chapter 682
Fighting Hard with Hardness
Yu Yao was known as a valiant general in the Qi army, but unexpectedly, he was killed in a single round when he fought Liu Lang.
Seeing this, the entire Qi army was astonished. It was known that Yu Yao had once led a dozen or so cavalrymen in a charge, routing thousands of refugees. His martial arts skills were considered top-notch; only five or six men could reliably defeat him. The news reported by Yu Yao's cavalryman was even more unbelievable. Everyone was discussing whether the Shu man who had come to provoke them was incredibly young, yet possessed extraordinary abilities—could he be the reincarnation of Huo Qubing?
In fact, it wasn't just the Qi people who were shocked; even the Han army was astonished. Du Zeng, in particular, had fought Liu Lang just last year. Although he defeated him in a few exchanges, he still thought Liu Lang, despite his young age, possessed exceptional martial arts skills and was a promising talent who might not necessarily lose to him in the future. Unexpectedly, in just one year, this young man had improved so rapidly, his bravery already comparable to Wen Shuo's! In two more years, when he turns eighteen, Du Zeng might not be able to suppress him.
The remaining Han soldiers, seeing the Duke of Longxi personally challenge them and display such prowess, felt a surge of pride. Without needing any command, they cheered loudly in perfect unison, their shouts like a tsunami, overwhelming the Qi people and making them even more humiliated.
Upon seeing this, Qi army commander Xu Kan was both bewildered and furious. He hadn't anticipated Yu Yao's defeat, but he hadn't expected it to be so decisive and utterly disgraceful to the Qi army. He immediately raised his voice and asked the person beside him, "Where is Liu Zhengchang?"
As soon as he finished speaking, a young man stepped forward, cupped his hands to Xu Kan, and said, "My lord, your humble servant is here!"
Xu Kan examined him closely and saw that the man was eight feet tall, broad-shouldered and thick-waisted, wearing a full set of jet-black armor, standing like an iron tower. After removing the iron helmet, the man revealed a dark and capable young face, which, together with the short sword at his waist and the longbow on his back, made him appear even more valiant.
This man, named Liu Xia, was from Yiyang in Guangping. In his early twenties, he was a well-known leader of displaced people in the area. He had participated in many battles at Yecheng, fighting against Zhang Fang, Shi Le, and Liu Cong. He fought with exceptional bravery and was thus chosen as the leader of the local stronghold by the people. However, after the Battle of Yecheng, he refused to submit to Liu Cong and led his followers away from Guangping. Together with the Jin general Shao Xu, he fled to Pingyuan and submitted to the Qi-Han people, who were Han Chinese.
Liu Xia was a renowned leader among the refugee leaders of Hebei, often compared to Guan Yu and Zhang Fei. After joining Xu Kan's forces, he became the most valiant general in Xu Kan's ranks, always taking on the crucial task of attacking fortified positions. Xu Kan, determined to win, sent him into battle, encouraging him, "The Shu people think they are invincible. Zheng Chang, you should dampen their arrogance and show them the prowess of the Hebei warriors!"
Liu Xia agreed, and then took his broadsword and went into battle.
Having learned of Yu Yao's defeat, he did not underestimate his opponent. After leaving the formation, he remained silent, urging his horse to gallop straight towards Liu Lang. When he was close, he swung his broadsword, slashing downwards with a whooshing sound. Liu Lang had originally intended to ask his opponent's name, but seeing the opponent's fierce approach, he immediately knew he could not defeat him by force. So he turned his horse around and rode a short distance, only turning back to fight after his horse had gained speed.
Soon, the two riders will meet.
In that instant, Liu Xia swung his broadsword down. Knowing he couldn't block it head-on, Liu Lang dodged to the side, using the momentum to slice off Liu Xia's fingers. This was a suicidal move; even if it struck, the momentum of the broadsword would still cause it to strike his mount. But Liu Xia didn't want to die, so he barely managed to sheathe his sword, grazing Liu Lang's nose and narrowly missing him.
The two riders passed each other.
Taking advantage of his lightness, Liu Lang quickly turned his horse around. Liu Xia, however, was not as skilled at riding as Liu Lang and turned slower. Seeing that he couldn't catch up, he simply continued to gallop sideways, turning the situation into a chase between the two on the grass. In a short while, the two had circled several times in the open space in front of the battle lines, leaving the soldiers on both sides dazzled.
Under these circumstances, Liu Xia realized that in terms of martial arts, the two were actually evenly matched, but in terms of horsemanship, he was probably inferior to Liu Lang. If they continued to fight in close combat, his chances of losing would probably be even higher. With this in mind, he tucked his broadsword under his leg, suddenly took out a longbow from behind his back, and then took an armor-piercing arrow with eagle feathers from the horse's mane. He then nocked the arrow, drew the bow, and turned to shoot it behind him.
His movements were incredibly fast, fluid and seamless, completed in the blink of an eye—a feat only a skilled archer could accomplish. The soldiers watching cried out in surprise at his sudden use of fire. This unexpected turn of events caught even bystanders off guard; could Liu Lang, the one directly involved, possibly dodge it?
Unexpectedly, Liu Lang remained completely unfazed upon seeing this. He casually slashed forward with his sword, and with a crisp clang, the Zhangwu sword was chipped, but the arrow fell to the ground. Liu Lang had actually managed to cut the arrow down with the blade of his sword!
At this point, Liu Lang simply sheathed his sword, took out a longbow from beside his saddle, and drew out an armor-piercing arrow with snow-white eagle feathers, intending to end the contest with mounted archery. He had been learning mounted archery from Li Ju since childhood, learning to shoot at six and riding at nine, and by now he was already quite proficient.
Unlike Liu Xia, he didn't appear anxious. Instead, he calmly took aim. Although his horse was galloping, he remained remarkably steady, his bow and arrow motionless, as if warming up before releasing the arrow.
Within that aiming time, Liu Xia could have fired again, but when he saw his opponent calmly draw his bow and arrow, a sense of crisis arose within him. It seemed as if the opponent's arrows were venomous snakes with eyes, already preparing to claim his life. This made him dare not stop to fire again, but instead spurred his horse, trying to create distance and dodge Liu Lang's arrows.
The distance between the two had clearly widened, but Liu Lang was not in a hurry. He drew the horn bow to its full draw, and then, as if made of iron, his hands remained motionless, allowing his opponent to continue accelerating. He was actually wearing down his opponent's stamina and patience, waiting for the most opportune moment to strike.
Just as the distance between the two widened from three or four zhang to over twenty zhang, Liu Xia's mount collided with a rock, forcing it to change direction and slow down slightly to avoid it. At that moment, Liu Lang suddenly released his grip, and the arrow flew like a meteor, instantly piercing the heavy air between them with a tearing sound, striking Liu Xia squarely in the back. Liu Xia's black armor failed to stop the armor-piercing arrow; the sharp tip pierced through his chest, creating a classic penetrating wound.
Liu Xia was struck by the arrow as if by lightning; even breathing was painful, let alone fighting Liu Lang again. With his last vestiges of consciousness, he spurred his horse and galloped into the Qi army's ranks. Liu Lang did not pursue him; he knew that this arrow, even if it didn't kill his opponent, would leave him severely wounded and unable to get out of bed for at least six months.
Liu Lang emerged victorious once again in this challenge.
Seeing that the Duke of Longxi had won so decisively, the Han army naturally erupted in cheers and shouts once again. On the other hand, the Qi soldiers, having suffered two defeats in succession, were naturally even more fearful. Their faces showed fear and difficulty, and they whispered among themselves, saying that the enemy had such a fierce general, how could they possibly fight back? Even the commander-in-chief Xu Kan, who was watching from the sidelines, was speechless for a long time.
But he quickly realized with anger that if he didn't kill this traitor, how could the soldiers of Qi and Lu save face?! How could they possibly fight the Southerners next?! The Emperor of Daxing said he would make the Southerners tremble with fear, but the result was that his own people lost face. How could he return to the court in the future? But even so, he had no one left under his command who could fight anymore.
Just as he was in a dilemma, drums suddenly sounded from the flank of the army, and a rider emerged, clad in heavy armor, long spear held horizontally, charging straight towards Liu Lang. The moment this man appeared, the previously demoralized Qi soldiers immediately roused themselves, raising their weapons and banners, and beating drums to cheer him on: "Su Wudi! Su Wudi!"
Liu Lang had never heard of this name before, but seeing the excitement of the Qi crowd as soon as he made his move, he knew that this person was no ordinary opponent. He did not underestimate his enemy, but instead drew another white-feathered armor-piercing arrow, aimed at the direction the opponent was coming from, then drew the bowstring taut and released it, shooting it at the opponent.
This arrow was still incredibly powerful, no less so than the one that had pierced Liu Xia earlier, flying through the air like a streak of light. Unexpectedly, the man opposite him neither dodged nor flinched, letting the arrow fly towards his face. Then, with a swift movement of his left hand, he caught the incoming armor-piercing arrow, slightly turning to deflect the force! With just this one move, Liu Lang knew he had encountered a formidable foe. This required not only extremely fast reflexes but also exceptional archery skills. Among the many talented soldiers in the Han army, only Mao Bao and Li Ju could catch an arrow barehanded. Liu Lang had practiced archery with Li Ju for ten years, yet he could only manage three or four out of ten, never daring to use it in actual combat. This man, however, did it so effortlessly, sending a chill down Liu Lang's spine.
Next, the Qi man closed in to a point where they could engage in close combat. He swung his spear and attacked with immense strength, his offensive like a raging storm. He swung his spear without pause, his thrusts like a tidal wave, immediately overwhelming Liu Lang and giving him no chance to regroup.
Liu Lang had fought two battles, and even though he had won, his strength was somewhat exhausted. Under normal circumstances, he would have found this person extremely difficult to deal with, let alone in this situation. After only four or five rounds of fighting, he knew he couldn't continue like this, and then tried to use his horsemanship to shake off his opponent. Unexpectedly, the Qi man's horsemanship was also excellent. No matter how Liu Lang spun around and accelerated, he kept up the chase and always maintained a distance where they could engage in combat.
Du Zeng, who had been watching from the sidelines, could naturally see with his keen eyesight that Liu Lang was at a disadvantage and that if the situation continued to develop, defeat would be inevitable. He certainly couldn't let this happen, otherwise how could he explain it to the King of Han? So, without consulting Du Hong, he spurred his horse and charged out again.
Du Zeng, clad in leather armor, tall and imposing, galloped out of the formation, his horse kicking up dust, a sight to behold of power and might. The Qi soldier, seeing a rider emerge from the side, dared not be careless, and quickly abandoned Liu Lang to engage Du Zeng in battle. The two fought fiercely, their spears and halberds clashing rapidly like two silver snakes dancing wildly, sometimes intertwining and coiling, sometimes darting and weaving, each striking back and forth, neither giving an inch.
Those who witnessed such a fierce battle were captivated, focused solely on the outcome, forgetting to cheer each other on. The only sounds between the two armies were the clash of weapons between Du Zeng and the Qi general. Liu Lang, having withdrawn from the battle, took a breath and did not rejoin the fray, instead watching the duel between the two masters from a distance. He thought to himself: Du Zeng is known as the Marquis of Jingzhou Champion, but I never expected there to be such a fierce general among the Qi people. Could he be the number one warrior of Qing and Xu?
Just as he was lost in thought, Qi Jiang and Du Zeng were grappling with each other, their spears and halberds locked in combat. Suddenly, Qi Jiang mocked, "Is it the etiquette of the Southerners to interfere, to fight two against one?"
Du Zeng did indeed gain the upper hand, but he didn't stop, laughing confidently, "So what? Do I need to be polite when killing a scoundrel like you?"
Qi Jiang laughed and replied, "It seems like we can't keep fighting like this; we can't determine a winner."
Du Zeng asked, "Then what do you intend to do?"
Qi general said, "How about we each lead a few thousand troops and compare our marching and troop deployment?"
Du Zeng thought to himself that if the fight continued, he might not be able to win. Although he was brave, he was unwilling to risk his life, especially since he had a bright future ahead of him. So he agreed and said, "Alright, fighting is not the real skill. Winning battles is the true skill."
Having said that, the two immediately stopped fighting and slowly distanced themselves on horseback. Only then did Du Zeng realize that he hadn't asked the general's name, so he asked, "There aren't many who can fight me to a draw. You've used impressive skills; dare you leave your name?"
The general said, "You are so impolite. Why didn't you announce your name first?"
Du Zeng then said, "I am Du Zeng from Xinye, serving as the Commander of the Eastern Expeditionary Army of the Great Han Dynasty. And you?"
Qi replied leisurely, "I am Su Jun, the champion general of the Han Dynasty, courtesy name Zigao, from Changguangting County."
Su Jun then turned his gaze to Liu Lang, who was standing to the side, and asked, "Kid, what's your name?"
Before Liu Lang could answer, Lai Guang spoke up for him: "My master is the Duke of Longxi of the Great Han Dynasty, the eldest son of the King of our dynasty, named Liu Lang, courtesy name Jingming."
The Qi people then learned that the one who had come to challenge them was the eldest son of the King of Han, and they were filled with regret. Had they known this earlier, they wouldn't have bothered with any etiquette of a one-on-one duel; they could have simply swarmed him. But now the opportunity was lost, and both sides could only return to their respective camps to prepare for battle.
Su Jun's return to the camp greatly pleased Xu Kan, who repeatedly expressed his gratitude. Su Jun was a beloved general highly valued by the Emperor of Daxing. Although he was always brave, he had long since stopped fighting. Now, Su Jun's exceptional participation in the battle had restored face for the Qi people, so Xu Kan could reluctantly accept the challenge.
Unexpectedly, Su Jun said to Xu Kan, "There's no need to engage in battle. Let's withdraw our troops here."
Xu Kan was taken aback upon hearing this and was about to ask for the reason when Su Jun spoke first: "The marshal sent our army to see the enemy's strength and weakness, not to suffer heavy losses. Today we have lost two generals, one dead and one wounded. Our morale is broken, and victory is impossible. What else can we do but retreat?"
“But…” Xu Kan knew that Su Jun’s words made sense, but he was also full of resentment. On the battlefield, it is always important to seize the initiative. If the first battle ended so hastily, it would greatly affect his reputation in the court.
Su Jun smiled and advised him, "Lord Xu, don't be impatient. Our army has suffered many defeats, but why are we still able to achieve what we have today? Isn't it because we are flexible and know how to endure humiliation and bear heavy burdens? If we fight hard against hard, our army is no match. Only by temporarily withdrawing our troops and avoiding their sharp edge can we defeat them."
Xu Kan was convinced; this was indeed a wise saying that propelled the Qi army to grow stronger. They had suffered countless defeats against the Xianbei and the Jin army, but it was precisely because they were able to preserve their strength that they were able to make a comeback and become stronger with each battle.
Soon, just as the Han generals were regrouping for their offensive, the sound of gongs rang out from the Qi army opposite them. Under the watchful eyes of the Han soldiers, the Qi army began a slow retreat. Though the movement was slow, their defensive formation remained unchanged, and the main force clearly moved towards Zishan Garrison. (End of Chapter)