When Kesu led his troops closer, a volley of arrows was fired at the camp gate. Several cavalrymen fell down, but this did not stop the angry Qiang people. The cavalry was extremely fast and broke through the camp gate in an instant.
Unable to resist, the defenders hurriedly fired a few arrows, turned around and fled. The valley was full of fleeing Di people, like frightened sheep.
Kesu looked at the human head hanging on the high pole, his eyes were broken, and he roared: "Warriors, avenge Wu Kezhuang, no one will be spared."
When the Qiang soldiers saw that the Di people were escaping in a hurry, their morale was greatly boosted. They mobilized their horses and chased them with howls and screams. They shouted for revenge, but in fact they kept an eye on the supplies they had on them.
Both sides were cavalry, with superb riding skills. For a moment, they were indistinguishable. The Di people were chased with nowhere to go and fled towards the mountains to the south.
Kesu was so excited after the chase that he turned around a mountain col and saw the Di people re-arranged, waving flags and shouting at the foot of the mountain, preparing to meet the enemy.
"Hmph, I don't know whether to live or die, kill——"
Ke Su smiled coldly and shouted to urge the front army to charge towards the Di army.
The cavalry was about to rush down the mountain. Suddenly, the horses in the front screamed and fell to the ground. The soldiers behind them had no time to react and were all tripped. Everyone rolled to the ground and huddled together. Some were crushed to death on the spot.
The Qiang soldiers behind were still charging, and the horses were galloping. It was too late to rein in the horses. As soon as the people in the front row got up, they were knocked over by the rushing cavalry, trampled and squeezed, causing numerous casualties.
Kesu was about to charge and was shocked when he saw this. Even if someone accidentally stumbled, it was impossible for all the cavalry to fall at the same time.
Kesu was shocked and angry, thinking that someone in front made a mistake on horseback, so he yelled at them and told them to stand up and continue fighting.
After shouting for a long time, they saw the horses falling to the ground and whining. They struggled for a long time but could not get up, so they felt that the situation was not good.
Under normal circumstances, horses never lie down. Even when they rest at night, they always stand. Even if they accidentally fall to the ground, they will get up quickly.
When Ke Su was confused, there was a sudden shout from behind the hillside, and two groups of cavalry came out from behind. At the same time, an ambush soldier on the mountain shot down random arrows.
"There is an ambush, retreat quickly!" Ke Su's heart sank, and he turned his horse's head to prepare to retreat.
"Ke Su, you are such a repetitive villain, do you still want to leave?" I saw a man riding a horse to kill him, it was Ma Chao.
"Oh, Ma Ma..."
Ke Su was shocked and turned pale, and hurriedly raised his sword to parry. Ma Chao had already urged his horse forward and stabbed straight at him with his tiger-head spear.
Although Ke Su's sword tried hard to block it, it could not block the power of the gun. He only heard a series of tooth-piercing friction sounds before the gun tip pierced his chest.
Ma Chao's face was as heavy as water, and he waved Kesu's body in the air, passing through the crowd, blood falling like raindrops, and fell into the rebel army with a plop.
Arrows were fired from the mountain, and the Qiang soldiers were already in chaos. At this moment, Kesu was killed, and the way forward was blocked. Ma Chao came on horseback, and whoever dared to attack pushed his way down the hillside.
The Qiang soldiers, who were still crowding around to grab horses, suddenly saw Kesu's corpse falling down, like a rat that had exploded its nest, fleeing in all directions, and they were all blocked in the valley without knowing how to advance or retreat.
At this time, Agui from behind the mountain also led the troops to fight back, leading the Di soldiers and rushing into the rebel army. After being suppressed by the Qiang people for many years, they finally became proud and attacked without mercy.
Ma Chao danced his tiger-headed spear as if he were in an uninhabited land, like a ferocious beast, charging back and forth to kill. The Qiang soldiers turned on their backs and scurried away with their heads in their hands.
Ma Dai and Pang De led troops to block the entrance of the valley. There were soldiers with excellent archery skills on the mountains on both sides. Shi A and others also participated in the battle, aiming at the chaotic Qiang soldiers to practice their archery skills.
The Qiang people have always bullied the weak and feared the strong. When they won, they were as powerful as a rainbow, and when they failed, they were like a lost dog. At this time, they had no fighting spirit at all and just ran away, becoming Ma Chao's tool to vent his anger.
More than two thousand cavalrymen had no way to go from heaven to earth. Half an hour later, only the ownerless mounts were left in the valley. Not a single Qiang person was left alive. The ground was covered with corpses and rivers of blood flowed.
"Blood debt must be repaid with blood!" The smell of blood lingered in the valley for a long time. Ma Chao, covered in blood, glanced coldly at the battlefield.
Agui looked up at Xu Shu at the top of the mountain, clasped his fists and laughed, "Commander Xu, we Di people are proud and proud! This battle is all the result of Commander Xu."
In the past, they would not have even dared to offend a small group of more than 500 Qiang people. They would often have their horses, cattle and sheep taken away by them, and they would have to endure it. But now they have discovered that the Qiang people are no more than this. The Di soldiers are all more confident and have high morale.
Xu Shu ordered: "The enemy's large army will arrive soon. Immediately gather the horses and weapons and act according to the plan."
Agui greeted, and everyone dismounted in cheers. They loaded the weapons and armor on the ground onto their horses and picked them up together with the iron caltrops.
After everyone climbed over the ridge, they found another larger valley, long and narrow from east to west, shaped like a wooden trough. There were large willow trees and poplar trees at the bottom of the valley. This was the Di people's pasture.
Wooden huts and felt tents can be seen everywhere, some of which are decayed and dilapidated. The newly built camp is on the flat ground, but there is no one inside.
Everyone crossed the camp and walked through the woods to rest at the foot of the southern mountain.
Agui said doubtfully: "We are guarding the mountain pass. Even if Han Sui comes, we may not be able to break through, but this pasture has been occupied by them, and we will have no way to retreat."
Xu Shu smiled and said: "This forest is enough to help us stop the pursuing soldiers."
Agui was startled and asked, "What if they rush through the woods?"
Xu Shu said: "The pursuers have fallen into the trap one after another and are already frightened. I have my own countermeasures to confuse the enemy. When their morale is low, it is time for us to counterattack."
Ma Chao perked up and laughed, "It's finally my time to play!"
Xu Shu said: "The main force of the Qiang soldiers has been eliminated, followed by Han Sui's troops. They have been trained for a long time and are not comparable to the Qiang soldiers. They need to use military skills."
Agui asked in confusion: "Didn't the military advisor use the art of war before?"
Xu Shu smiled and said: "It was just a little trick before!"
"Uh..." Agui was speechless for a while.
During this period, Xu Shu mobilized his troops and generals to predict the enemy's victory. He thought it was what the Han people often call strategizing, but he didn't expect that there was no art of war. Isn't this bullying?
Although Ma Chao didn't understand the reason, he still patted Agui on the shoulder and said in a lecturing tone: "I have a lot of Chinese military books and countless military strategies. Your Majesty knows very little about it, which is reasonable. When you have time in the future, you can I want to learn more."
Agui was convinced and bowed and said, "Thank you, General Tian, for your advice."
Xu Shu called Shi A and Ma Le and ordered them to lead five hundred elite troops, detour eastward, enter the Evil Spirit Grassland again, and then outflank the enemy's back the way they came.
Agui frowned and said: "The art of war is to use five hundred people to attack the enemy's rear? Han Sui's troops are more powerful than the Qiang people, I'm afraid..."
Xu Shu smiled and said: "It is common sense in the army that soldiers and horses go first before food and grass are moved! The Qiang people always travel lightly when they go out, with very little baggage, so they come quickly. Han Sui's army of men and horses followed, and they had to transport food and grass. If they were cut off, If you don’t have food and grass, the enemy will be defeated without a fight!”
So it turned out that this was the case. Agui's eyes lit up, he clapped his hands and shouted: "The military advisor really has a clever plan. No matter how many troops he has, if he has no food or water, he will definitely fail if he is hungry."
Ma Chao secretly praised in his heart, patted Agui and said: "Soldiers are deceitful! Your Majesty, you still need to learn more!"
