Yan Kai stood in a vast command tent, surrounded by maps and scrolls spread out on the wooden table. The generals and captains of the various local nobles surrounded him, waiting for his orders. Although the recent defeat had diminished his forces, he knew he could not afford to retreat any further. Time was running out, and he had to regroup all available forces to intercept Zhang Bing's rebel vanguard before it was too late.
"We need to act quickly," Yan Kai said, his voice firm and authoritative as he pointed at the map. "The rebel vanguard is advancing towards Kastov, but we still have time to intercept them at the Huangshi Pass."
One of the generals, Lord Feng, nodded. He was a seasoned veteran, and though his troops had suffered heavy losses in the last battle, he was still a man to rely on.
"My men are ready to march, though many comrades have fallen. But we still have 10,000 infantry soldiers," he said with determination. "I also have some crossbowmen who could slow their advance if we manage to ambush them at the pass."
Yan Kai nodded and then turned his gaze to Lord Zhang, another noble who had recently arrived with reinforcements.
"What forces can you provide, Lord Zhang?"
Zhang stroked his beard, thoughtful. He had lost a considerable portion of his troops, but his position allowed him to organize new contingents from smaller landowners.
"I can gather 8,000 men, mostly light infantry, though I also have 500 light cavalry who could act as scouts and harass the rebel vanguard," Zhang replied.
Yan Kai clenched his fists, quickly calculating in his mind. Adding his own forces, along with those of Feng and Zhang, and other minor nobles who had already grouped under his command, he would have around 60,000 soldiers, enough to pose a significant threat to Zhang Bing's vanguard.
"We have no time to waste," Yan Kai continued. "Lord Feng, prepare your crossbowmen. We will intercept them in the Huangshi Valley. We have numerical superiority; victory will be ours. At dawn tomorrow, we march."
The nobles nodded, acknowledging the gravity of the situation. They knew that if they won this battle, Kastov would be saved.
The gray sky was heavy and oppressive as the war drums echoed in the distance. Far off, infantry and cavalry lines could be seen forming their ranks, a tide of steel and shields that stretched beyond sight. Yan Kai, mounted on his warhorse, watched with cold, calculating eyes as his army of 60,000 men took their positions. He knew that the clash with Zhang Bing would be decisive in halting his advance, and the weight of that responsibility was palpable. His army was well-equipped, but his enemy, with 50,000 soldiers, was known for their ferocity and discipline in battle.
The wind stirred the imperial banners and kicked up dust around them. Yan Kai had prepared his forces for open battle, believing that his numerical superiority would be enough to break Zhang Bing's resistance. With the rebel vanguard in sight, he gave the order.
"Advance!" he roared, his voice booming across the field.
The war horns sounded in response, and the infantry ranks advanced toward the enemy, their spears gleaming in the daylight. The first clash was brutal. Zhang Bing's troops, well-disciplined, resisted the initial assault with a tight formation. Shields rose like an impenetrable wall, and steel clashed against steel with a resounding noise that echoed across the battlefield. Both sides fought with fierce intensity, neither yielding ground.
The imperial light cavalry, sent by Yan Kai to flank the rebels, encountered unexpected resistance. Zhang Bing, knowing his forces would be outnumbered, had bet everything on his heavy cavalry—6,000 armored riders waiting patiently for their moment to strike.
From a nearby hill, Zhang Bing watched the battle calmly. His eyes, sharp as a hawk's, followed every movement of the enemy, seeking an opportunity to exploit. He knew that although he was outnumbered, his heavy cavalry was his ace in the hole. He had trusted in his troops' ability to withstand Yan Kai's initial assault, keeping his soldiers in a compact, defensive formation. Everything depended on holding out long enough for his cavalry to do its job.
"Not yet..." Zhang Bing muttered to himself as his generals watched anxiously.
Minutes turned into hours, and the battlefield was stained with blood. The men of both armies fought with fury, but neither side gained a decisive advantage. Yan Kai's vanguard, made up of seasoned soldiers, pushed against Zhang Bing's lines, but the rebel defense held tenaciously. Both armies were locked in a stalemate.
Finally, Zhang Bing raised his hand, and one of his banners fluttered in the wind.
"Now!" he ordered, a calculated smile on his face.
His 6,000 armored riders, who had been waiting for their chance, charged into action. Their target was not Yan Kai's infantry but the imperial cavalry, which had been deployed to flank them. The imperial cavalry, confident in their numerical superiority, was unprepared for the brutal assault that was about to unfold.
The thunderous sound of hooves echoed as Zhang Bing's heavy cavalry charged into the left flank of the imperial army. The imperial cavalry, made up mostly of light riders, tried to resist, but the impact was devastating. The rebel cavalry's horses, covered in thick armor, trampled their opponents with unstoppable force.
Yan Kai, from his elevated position, watched in horror as his flank began to crumble. Zhang Bing's cavalry, led by the feared General Cheng Wei, moved like a storm, smashing through the imperial riders with inhuman brutality. Cheng Wei's knights were battle-hardened veterans, and every strike of their lances brought down an imperial soldier.
"Reinforce the left flank!" Yan Kai desperately ordered one of his captains. "We cannot allow them to encircle us!"
But it was too late.
Zhang Bing's heavy cavalry, after shattering the imperial cavalry line, pressed forward directly into Yan Kai's infantry, attacking from the unprotected flank. The imperial soldiers, caught off guard by the assault, began to fall into disarray. Cries of panic echoed through the ranks as the armored knights broke their formation. The soldiers tried to regroup, but chaos spread like wildfire.
"Hold the line! Do not retreat!" one of the imperial officers shouted, his voice barely audible amidst the din of battle.
However, the situation had become untenable. The rebel cavalry was tearing through the imperial lines, and Yan Kai's men's morale was beginning to collapse. As more and more soldiers fell under the lances and swords of the knights, the survivors began to retreat, gripped by panic.
Yan Kai watched as his army started to break apart. What had begun as an orderly retreat quickly turned into a rout. Soldiers who had fought bravely moments earlier were now running for their lives, abandoning their positions and leaving their weapons behind. Zhang Bing's cavalry pursued them relentlessly, cutting down stragglers without mercy.
"Retreat to the hills!" Yan Kai ordered bitterly, knowing the battle was lost. His voice was hard, but inside he felt the sting of defeat.
He tried to rally some of his officers, but the confusion was total. Zhang Bing's cavalry had accomplished the impossible: not only had they defeated their imperial counterparts, but they had completely disintegrated Yan Kai's left flank, leading to the collapse of his entire front. The men fled to the hills, seeking refuge, while Zhang Bing's soldiers claimed the battlefield.
The sound of clashing swords and the cries of the dying filled the air. From his position, Yan Kai watched helplessly as the battle unraveled around him. He knew the day was lost, but he could not allow his army to be annihilated. He had to save what he could.
With a desperate gesture, Yan Kai raised his sword.
"To the hills! Retreat to the defensive positions!" he shouted, trying to maintain discipline among his troops.
But most did not listen. As Zhang Bing's cavalry continued to advance, Yan Kai's men simply ran, forgetting everything they had ever learned about discipline and order in battle. The officers tried in vain to contain the chaos, but the panic was contagious.
Finally, Yan Kai realized there was nothing more to be done. He furiously spurred his horse, giving the order for a general retreat. The imperial army scattered across the field, leaving behind a trail of corpses and abandoned weapons. The victory, at that moment, belonged to Zhang Bing.