The battlefield was stained with dust and chaos. The imperial troops, who just moments ago were marching with overwhelming confidence, were now retreating in disorder, overwhelmed by panic and desperation. The veteran strategist, observing the rapid disintegration of the ranks, understood that the battle was lost. The shouts of officers trying to impose order were drowned out by the tumult of the retreat. He knew there was no salvation at this point.
"Retreat!" the veteran ordered his most loyal soldiers, those he could trust. There was nothing more to do. If they stayed, they would be annihilated along with the rest of the army. And although he wanted to die with honor on the battlefield for the Empire, he wasn't ready to lose his life for the incompetence of a cowardly landowner. With a quick gesture, the veteran and his trusted men, a select group of seasoned warriors, turned their horses and swiftly withdrew from the disaster looming over the imperials.
Meanwhile, the rebel army, under the command of Xu Anping and Liang, could smell victory. The landscape had changed dramatically, and what had begun as a calculated retreat, with a meticulously planned ambush, had turned into a decisive offensive. The rebel soldiers, emboldened by the chaos they saw among the imperials, redoubled their efforts.
Liang, always the ruthless warrior, saw an opportunity and seized it without hesitation.
"With me!" Liang shouted to the elite infantry under his command. A group of battle-hardened men, trained to fight in the worst circumstances. With his spear held high, he led a direct charge into the heart of the imperial army, where the resistance was still fiercest.
The imperials, already weakened by the ambush and the retreat of their leader, were unprepared for the brutal attack of Liang's infantry. Liang's men advanced like a storm, destroying everything in their path. The sound of steel clashing against steel resounded as the imperials fell, unable to maintain their formation. In a matter of minutes, the imperial line completely broke, and the remaining soldiers began to flee in all directions.
Xu Anping was personally directing the army at the front. The remnants of the imperial army were rapidly crumbling. He knew the battle was nearly won, but he still didn't let his guard down. Every victory was another step toward his goal, but it also meant new challenges.
"Make sure no one escapes," Xu Anping ordered his officers, pointing to the scattered groups of imperial soldiers fleeing toward the hills. He couldn't allow any spark of resistance to remain. Every corner had to be cleared, every imperial captured or eliminated. With the signal from their commanders, the rebel soldiers began to sweep the field, hunting down the straggling soldiers still trying to escape.
Hours later, when the battle was nearly over, a small group of scouts returned to the rebel camp with important news. Among them, bound with thick ropes and under the watchful eyes of several soldiers, was the imperial landowner who had cowardly fled at the start of the battle. His clothes were soaked in sweat and dust, and his face showed a mix of fear and despair.
"We got him!" one of the scouts announced, pushing the landowner toward the center of the camp, where Xu Anping and Liang awaited.
The landowner fell to the ground, his body trembling. He knew his fate was in the hands of the rebels. Xu Anping looked at him indifferently, while Liang showed a disdainful smile.
"So... the great leader of the imperial army," Liang commented sarcastically, glaring at the man who had been one of the causes of the collapse of the imperial troops. The landowner didn't dare respond; he knew any word could be his death sentence.
"What should we do with him?" one of the rebel officers asked.
Xu Anping was silent for a moment. His mind was elsewhere, no longer thinking about the battle they had won, but about what was to come. Finally, he spoke.
"Make sure he is well guarded. We need information about the rest of his troops and any plans they had. It's not over yet."
The landowner, still kneeling on the ground, nodded quickly, as if that would be enough to save his life.
Meanwhile, the imperial veteran, having managed to escape the defeat with his trusted men, didn't retreat completely. Instead of fleeing to the Empire's lands, where dishonor would have followed him until his death, he decided to regroup the few troops still loyal to him. He knew he couldn't abandon the battlefield entirely, but neither could he launch into a suicidal fight. He had to do something more. One last attempt to reclaim his name and save what remained of his honor.
During the night, the veteran and his men found refuge in a nearby village, where they began recruiting local peasants, some former soldiers, others simply men willing to fight to protect their lands. Slowly, the veteran managed to gather a small army of 600 men, a reduced number compared to what he had before, but enough for one last battle.
The veteran knew he couldn't face Xu Anping in open combat. He had already seen what the young rebel leader was capable of, along with his skilled commanders like Wang Jian and Liang. However, he was willing to risk everything in one last strategic battle. If he could inflict enough casualties on the rebels, he might tip the scales and buy time for imperial reinforcements to arrive.
"Prepare the weapons," the veteran ordered his men, his voice calm but determined. He knew the only way to come out of this alive was to fight to the end, not for the Empire, nor for the landowner who had hired him, but for his own honor and the legacy he would leave behind.
Xu Anping received reports of the veteran's regrouping shortly after the capture of the landowner. He wasn't surprised. He knew a man like that veteran wouldn't give up so easily. However, the news concerned him.
"He's managed to gather 600 men," one of the scouts reported.
Liang, hearing this, frowned.
"It's a small number compared to what we faced before, but if that man knows what he's doing, he could cause trouble," Liang commented.
Xu Anping nodded but showed no sign of alarm.
"We knew it wouldn't end with just one battle," Xu Anping said, looking at the map spread out on a wooden table in the center of the camp. "This veteran has experience. He can hurt us if we underestimate him. But this time we won't let him escape."
Wang Jian, who had just arrived at the camp, joined the conversation.
"We have to attack as soon as possible to finish him and his army before they have time to fully regroup," Wang Jian said. "But we mustn't waste time. Every day that passes, he strengthens his position, and we have to maintain our advantage."
Xu Anping looked at his commanders and nodded.
"We won't give him any respite. Tomorrow we march to finish him once and for all."