Chapter 789
A Battle for Poyang Lake: Whoever Loses Is a Fake Emperor
woohoo hoo...
A strong wind arose, instantly dispersing the thick fog on the river.
The wind swept in from the direction of Kanglang Mountain, initially only fluttering the corners of the flags, then billowing the sails, and finally pushing three-foot-high white waves on the lake.
Standing at the bow of the "Victory" ship, Chen Jieli stretched out his hand and felt the force and direction of the wind in his palm. He frowned. The river wind was unpredictable; it had changed in such a short time.
"My lord, the wind is coming." Zhang Dingbian, who was standing nearby, also sensed the change in the wind and immediately reminded Chen Jie.
“I know.” Chen Jie squinted at the Wu King’s fleet ten miles to the east.
The large banner bearing the character "Zhu" fluttered in the wind, and the ships under its banner were slowly adjusting their sails—Zhu Chongba was about to launch an attack using the wind as a means of navigation.
"Order the entire army: untie the iron chains and transform into the 'Two Dragons Emerging from the Water' formation," Chen Jie commanded in a deep voice.
"The Buddhist soldiers are the left dragon, the Azure Dragon Army is the right dragon, and the Beggar Army is the central army to hold the line."
"Dingbian, you lead the Left Dragon to attack the right flank of King Wu's army; Jin Yanzi, lead the Right Dragon to hold back the left flank of King Wu's army. I will personally lead the Beggars' Army to take Zhu Chongba's central army!"
Chen Jie calmly gave the order.
"My lord!" Zhang Dingbian said urgently upon hearing this, "The iron chains have just been removed and the formation is not yet stable. If we attack now, there may be oversights in the army, which the enemy may take advantage of. It would be better to stabilize the army's formation first."
"Alas, Dingbian, you are a fierce general, how can you be so hesitant? If you do not attack now, are you just waiting for Zhu Chongba to set fire to your fire ships with the wind at your back?"
"The defeat at Red Cliffs is still fresh in our minds."
"And look!"
At this moment, Chen Jie reached out and pointed sharply at the river. Then, from the east, fifty specially made fast boats sailed out from the Wu King's fleet.
These ships had no sails or oars, relying solely on wind power. Their hulls were covered in black oil, and their bows were piled high with sulfur and saltpeter—these were fire-attack ships!
"Zhu Chongba has mistaken me for Cao Cao. He wants to burn the Red Cliffs!"
"Time waits for no one. Dingbian, accept the order."
"Yes, release the ropes! Change formation!" Zhang Dingbian shouted the order without hesitation.
The winch turned, and the iron chains sank into the lake with a clatter. The bound Han army's giant ship was finally freed and slowly turned around on the lake.
But this massive fleet needs time to change formation, and the wind won't wait for anyone.
At this time, ten miles to the southeast, was the Wu King's flagship, the "Dingyuan".
Zhu Chongba looked at the Han army's changing formation through the telescope and a cold smile appeared on his lips: "Chen Jiu Si is getting impatient. Order Xu Da to lead the 'Flying Cloud Fleet' to intercept Zhang Dingbian and Zuo Long. Tell him that there is no need to seek victory, just hold Zhang Dingbian off for half an hour."
"Order!"
The guards immediately clasped their hands in a fist salute and rushed off to deliver the order to Xu Da.
As the command flag was raised, Xu Da's flagship, the Zhenhai, raised its response flag.
Xu Da, sitting in the central command, said, "By order of the King of Wu, the entire army is to attack the Han army's Zuo Long and intercept and kill him here!"
"Yes!"
Upon hearing Xu Da's order, all the troops responded sternly.
Xu Da now leads the Wu King's most elite naval force of 50,000 men, which has 150 warships, 30 of which are newly built "centipede ships"—these ships are slender and have 24 pairs of paddle wheels on both sides, allowing them to move swiftly even without wind.
"Change to the 'arrow formation' and strike the enemy's left flank seven inches away!" Xu Da stood at the bow of the ship, dressed in white robes and silver armor, and gave the order with his hand on his sword.
The so-called "seven inches" refers to the vital point of the "Two Dragons Emerging from the Water Formation," the connection point between the left and right dragons.
If this formation operates smoothly, the two dragons can annihilate any enemy; however, if the connecting part is broken, the two dragons will be unable to defend themselves and will collapse without a fight.
This formation is a famous formation recorded in the "Wumu's Legacy". Xu Da was well-versed in the "Wumu's Legacy" and naturally knew this military strategy like the back of his hand. Of course, he also knew how to break this formation!
The well-trained "Flying Cloud Fleet" was launched like an arrow released from a bow upon receiving the order. The oars of the centipede ships drew white waves and plowed dozens of straight water tracks on the lake surface, heading straight for Zuo Long's seven-inch spot.
Zhang Dingbian immediately realized Xu Da's intention. Zhang Dingbian was no pushover either; Chen Jie had shown him the "Military Treatise of Yue Fei," and he was quite familiar with this military strategy. Therefore, he knew exactly how to break the formation and how to harass the enemy.
His duel with Xu Da was like two highly talented students who had studied the same textbook, "The Military Manual of Yue Fei," and were familiar with all the moves. The contest was about who had a higher level of understanding, more variations, and more innovative moves.
The skills taught by the same master can only be compared in terms of inner strength; let's see who can truly have the last laugh.
"Left Dragon Vanguard, turn around and stop him!" Zhang Dingbian urgently ordered.
The Han army's left flank, with fifty "sea loach" ships, turned to meet the attack. These ships had iron-plated prows and were designed specifically for ramming.
However, when Xu Da's fleet was about a mile from the enemy lines, it suddenly split into two – one continued to charge forward, while the other turned to the right. When the advancing fleet was three hundred paces from the enemy, it suddenly fired a volley of rockets and then turned to retreat.
"Trying to lure me?" Zhang Dingbian sneered upon seeing this, then ordered: "The vanguard is not to pursue, the central army to cover, the rearguard..."
Before he finished speaking, the Wu army that had made a flanking maneuver had already cut into the left flank of the Han army! It turned out that the forward charge was a feint, and the flanking maneuver was the real move!
Xu Da personally led thirty centipede ships, like a sharp knife, straight into the weakest point of the Han army's formation.
"You dare to be so bold, Xu Tiande!" Zhang Dingbian drew his sword. "The central army will divide its forces and encircle him from both sides, trapping him in the enemy formation!"
The Han army changed its formation, attempting to encircle Xu Da's fleet.
However, Xu Da's fleet was extremely agile, weaving through the gaps between enemy ships, sometimes gathering and sometimes dispersing, sometimes advancing and sometimes retreating. Whenever the Han army was about to encircle them, the Wu King's army would fire a volley of fire arrows to force the enemy ships back; whenever the Han army retreated, the Wu King's army would close in again, specifically targeting the enemy ships' rudders and sails.
Taking advantage of the fleet's high mobility, Xu Da even managed to kite Zhang Dingbian.
Seeing this, Zhang Dingbian was not in a hurry. In any case, his warship was difficult to damage by ordinary rockets. You may be as fast as the wind, but I will remain as immovable as a mountain!
This is a contest between top generals!
Both are renowned generals of their time!
At this point, their military capabilities and fighting styles will be put to the test!
Zhang Dingbian's military tactics were as steady as a mountain, with formations as tight as a net; Xu Da's military tactics were as agile as water, penetrating every nook and cranny.
The two sides fought fiercely on the lake, which spanned five miles in radius. The Han army sank eight ships belonging to the Wu king's army, while the Wu king's army burned eleven ships belonging to the Han army. Neither side gained a significant advantage.
However, Xu Da achieved his strategic objective—Zhang Dingbian's Zuo Long was firmly pinned to the spot, unable to advance even a mile in half an hour.
At the same time, Zhu Chongba's central army and Chen Jie's central army engaged in a decisive battle on the main battlefield south of Kanglang Mountain.
"Set the ship on fire!"
At Zhu Chongba's command, fifty fire ships sailed with the wind toward the Han army formation.
These boats were loaded with firewood, sulfur, and fish oil, and straw figures stood at the bow, making them look like real boats from a distance.
The Han army's vanguard fired arrows to block them, but the arrows hit the straw figures, and the fire ships continued on their way. Only when they were within a hundred paces did the Han army realize they had been tricked—but it was too late.
The fire ships crashed into the Han army's vanguard, exploding with a deafening roar. Fueled by the wind, the flames instantly engulfed five Han warships. Even more deadly, these fire ships concealed "underwater dragon king cannons"—iron tubes filled with explosives suspended from the hull, ready to explode upon contact with fire, capable of blasting through the ship's hull. Boom! Boom! Boom!
A series of explosions rang out in the Han army's ranks, and three more warships broke open at the bottom and slowly sank.
"Spread out, front troops! Rear troops, fill in!" Chen Jie frowned on the "Victory" ship, thinking that if there hadn't been this wind, they wouldn't have been in such a passive position.
Where are the artillerymen?
At this point, Chen Jie could no longer remain passive and had to resort to his trump card.
"Artillery ready! Fire indiscriminately! Target Zhu Chongba! Fire!"
Hundreds of new cannons were brought out, and at a command, they fired simultaneously, heading straight for the Wu King's fleet.
Zhu Chongba's "Dingyuan" was hit by three cannon shots in a row, one of which landed right in the middle of the crowd, knocking over a group of people.
"My lord, take cover from the cannon fire!" The guards rushed forward.
Zhu Chongba pushed aside his personal guards, drew his sword, and roared, "Get out of the way! Beat the drums! All troops, advance!"
The war drums thundered as the Wu King's fleet, braving the cannon fire, slowly advanced. The distance between the two sides shortened from five li to three li, then to two li. Both sides were now within the effective range of their bows and crossbows.
"Fire arrows!"
Arrows from both sides clashed in the air like a torrential downpour. People fell one after another, struck by arrows, and ships burst into flames.
Poyang Lake became a true hellscape. Flames illuminated half the sky, thick smoke blotted out the sun, and screams, explosions, and the clanging of metal mingled together, creating a deafening cacophony.
We've officially entered meat grinder mode!
At this time, on the western front, the fierce battle between Xu Da and Zhang Dingbian intensified.
Zhang Dingbian finally seized upon a weakness in Xu Da's forces: during the Wu King's fleet's maneuver, the three centipede ships on the right flank became separated. He immediately led twenty "sea eel" ships to attack the three isolated ships.
"Surround those three ships and force Xu Da to come to the rescue!" Zhang Dingbian ordered.
The Han warships pounced like a pack of wolves. The three centipede-shaped ships fought desperately, their paddlewheels spinning at full speed, drawing strange arcs across the lake in an attempt to escape. But the Han army was too many, and they gradually surrounded them.
Xu Da saw this scene through the telescope.
"Order: All ships on the right flank, move closer to those three ships." He said calmly. "Then order the central army: Change to a 'wedge formation' and attack Zhang Dingbian's flagship directly."
"General, those three ships..." the lieutenant said urgently.
“Those three ships are bait.” Xu Da put down his telescope, a confident smile appearing on his face.
“Zhang Dingbian wanted to besiege the point and attack the reinforcements, so I used a counter-strategy. While he was focusing his efforts on besieging those three ships, our main force went straight for his flagship – to capture the leader first.”
The order was carried out. The right-wing ships of the Wu army moved closer to the three isolated boats, as if to offer assistance.
As expected, Zhang Dingbian fell into the trap and committed more troops to the encirclement and annihilation. Just as the Han army's formation was slightly dispersed due to the siege, Xu Da personally led thirty centipede ships like a sharp knife, piercing straight into the heart of the Han army's formation, with a clear target—Zhang Dingbian's flagship "Triumphant"!
"We've fallen into a trap!" Zhang Dingbian realized, and hurriedly ordered a return to reinforce, but the battlefield was chaotic, and the order was delayed. Xu Da's fleet had already broken through three layers of Han army defenses and was only half a mile away from the "Triumphant"!
"Release the baton! Release the arrow!" Seeing this, Zhang Dingbian thought to himself that Xu Da was indeed formidable, but he did not panic.
The Triumph lowered its eight batons, which slammed down on the Wu King's warships like giant hands.
But the centipede boat was too agile, weaving through the gaps between the masts. Xu Da's flagship, the Zhenhai, even passed through the gap between two masts, and the iron spike at the bow scraped against the port side of the Triumph with a piercing scraping sound, sending wood chips flying.
As the two ships passed each other, Xu Da and Zhang Dingbian looked at each other across the water.
One wore a white robe and silver armor, the other black armor and a dark helmet; one held a sword, the other a spear. Their gazes clashed in the air, like swords clashing.
Then the two ships separated and each led their troops to regroup. In this round, neither was able to defeat the other.
But Xu Da achieved his goal—he rescued the three isolated ships and sank two of Zhang Dingbian's "sea eel" warships. Zhang Dingbian also proved his strength—despite being at such a disadvantage, he maintained his position and prevented Xu Da from breaking through his lines.
At Shenshi (3-5 PM), the sun was beginning to set in the west.
The fighting on the main battlefield gradually subsided. Both sides were exhausted—the Han army had lost more than sixty warships and suffered nearly forty thousand casualties; the Wu army had lost more than fifty ships and suffered more than thirty thousand casualties. The lake was filled with wreckage and floating corpses, and the burning ships turned the lake water a dark red, like a pot of boiling blood porridge.
Both armies retreated three miles each and reorganized their formations.
Zhu Chongba's "Dingyuan" and Chen Jie's "Desheng" were six miles apart, facing each other across the smoke-filled lake.
Zhu Chongba climbed to the highest point of the bow of the "Dingyuan," removed his helmet, and let the river wind tousle his graying hair. He raised his telescope, pointing it at the "Desheng." In the telescope, Chen Jie also stood at the bow, looking back with his own telescope.
The two gazed at each other through the mirror for a long time.
Zhu Chongba put down his telescope and said to Mu Ying beside him, "Mu Ying, bring me paper and pen."
"Yes, Father."
Mu Ying, Zhu Chongba's adopted son and the future founder of the Mu Prince's Mansion, was only seventeen years old at the time, with a youthful face. He was accompanying the army and immediately fetched paper and pen upon hearing the order.
A sheet of Xuan paper was laid out on the table for Zhu Chongba, the ink was ground, and the brush was dipped in ink and placed on the brush holder. Zhu Chongba picked up the brush, pondered for a moment, and then wrote twelve large characters:
"Chen Jiu Si, if we neither win nor lose today, we'll fight again tomorrow."
After writing, he rolled up the paper, stuffed it into a bamboo tube, sealed it with wax, and handed it to a guard: "Find a fast boat and send it over."
“My lord, this…” the guard hesitated.
"go."
Zhu Chongba waved his hand again.
The fast boat sailed towards the Han army's formation. The Han army was on high alert. Upon seeing a small boat approaching, the Han soldiers immediately drew their bows and muskets. So brave? A single man charging into the enemy formation?
"Don't fire the arrows, they're messengers!"
Zhu Chongba's personal guards were terrified and immediately shouted.
Upon hearing this, the Han army commander said, "Let him in."
Upon approaching, he handed the letter to the centurion, saying, "This is a letter from our King of Wu to your King of Han."
"You wait here, keep an eye on him!"
With that, the centurion took the letter and boarded Chen Jie's Victory.
"A letter from Zhu Chongba?"
Chen Jie looked at the bamboo tube handed to him, opened it, took out the letter, unfolded it, read it, and remained silent for a long time. Then he picked up a pen and wrote a line on the back of the paper:
"Tomorrow, bring your central army, and we'll fight it out at Poyang Lake. Whoever loses is a fake emperor. Dare to come?"
He rolled the paper up again, stuffed it back into the bamboo tube, and handed it to his personal guard: "Send it back."
The bamboo tube was returned to the "Dingyuan". Zhu Chongba looked at the words on the back and suddenly burst into laughter.
"You bastard Chen Jiu Si, fine, let's settle this! I want to see who the fake king is tomorrow, and who will be sunk into Poyang Lake to feed the turtles!"
With that, Zhu Chongba's expression turned serious. "The entire army shall set up camp and strengthen defenses. The rest of you shall rest immediately. Tomorrow, we will surely sink Chen Jiu Si in Poyang Lake!" (End of Chapter)