Chapter 69: Close Combat, Intercepting the Dragon Chariot

The elite scouts of the Dragon City Tiger and Leopard Cavalry led by General Huo Qubing appeared in the sight of the vanguard camp of the Imperial Guards of Emperor Zhao Gan, the second emperor of Daxin.

More than a hundred elite cavalrymen, each with two horses, were responsible for scouting the enemy situation on the marching route for the army.

The leader was a centurion in the army.

"You guys, go to the north of Jundu Mountain Badaling to investigate the situation;"

"You guys, go to the east of Chicheng to investigate the situation;"

"The rest of you, follow me to Tumubao!"

The imperial guards, riding a black warhorse, pointed at the imperial guards around him with the whip in his hand and issued orders:

"Everyone remember, the investigation distance must not be less than 20 miles. Once suspicious situations are found, immediately release the cloud-piercing arrows to report the news!"

"This time the emperor is personally leading the expedition, and there can be no mistakes on the march. Otherwise, the heads of you and my nine clans will not be enough to chop off. Do you understand?"

"Understood!"

The imperial guards responded in unison.

As he said that, the centurion waved his hand and said, "Let's go!"

"Understood!"

As he spoke, the more than a hundred elite cavalrymen of the imperial guards dispersed and rode to different directions to investigate the situation.

Among them, a team of more than ten imperial guards was exploring the direction of Jundu Mountain where Huo Qubing and the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry scouts were.

This route was also the route for the Longcheng Jingnan Army from Wuzhou to intercept the imperial court's northern expedition to suppress the rebellion.

Go, go, go!

These dozen imperial guards rode their horses all the way on the official road leading to Wuzhou, turning their heads from time to time, leaving the official road and climbing up the nearby hillside to check if there were any suspicious traces.

Detach, detach, detach!

The sound of horse hooves came from far away and got closer and closer.

It was seen that these dozen imperial guards galloping on their horses would find Huo Qubing and his party hiding behind the mountain after they climbed over another hill.

At this time, Huo Qubing, who was lying in a pile of dry grass on the hillside on one side of the official road, had already gestured to the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry hiding behind the mountain to get on their horses and prepare for battle.

The dozen or so elite Tiger and Leopard Cavalry soldiers who were accompanying them also drew their bows and arrows in the bushes, aiming their arrows at the vanguard of the Imperial Guards who were riding on the official road.

As long as the General of the Cavalry gave an order, they could shoot and kill the enemy scouts on horseback.

Huo Qubing stared at the enemy cavalry on the official road, silently calculating the distance between the two sides in his mind.

Eight hundred steps!

Five hundred steps!

Three hundred steps!

"Ready!"

Huo Qubing lowered his voice and signaled the elite Tiger and Leopard Cavalry soldiers around him to prepare to shoot.

Suddenly, the Imperial Guard who was riding the horse in the front on the official road suddenly pulled the reins of his warhorse: "Whoa--"

The warhorse under his crotch understood, snorted, raised its four hooves and stopped.

"Whoa--"

Seeing this, the Imperial Guards cavalry following behind tightened the reins of their warhorses and stopped less than three hundred steps away from where Huo Qubing and others were hiding.

The leading Imperial Guard cavalryman shouted, "Brothers, we are almost here. The weather is so bad that the further north we go, the colder it gets. There is not even a ghost!"

"Retreat, return to Tumubao to report!"

After saying that, the leader pulled the reins to turn the horse's head, and with a sound of "Gee", he turned around and walked back.

The rest of the Imperial Guard cavalrymen, seeing that the leader had ordered to retreat, did not insist on continuing to explore forward.

Although, according to the previous requirements of the Imperial Guard Hundred Households, the exploration range of this group of Imperial Guard cavalry squads had to cross the mountain where Huo Qubing and others were hiding in front, in order to complete the exploration distance of no less than 20 miles.

But reality is often so full of accidents and drama.

It was this short distance of two or three hundred steps that allowed these dozen Imperial Guard cavalrymen to temporarily save their lives, but it also pushed the more than 200,000 troops of the Daxin court to the north to suppress the rebellion into the abyss.

As soon as the cavalry scouts of the Imperial Guards left, General Huo Qubing, who was hiding in the bushes, rushed out.

He immediately ordered: "Messenger, rush to Wuzhou City immediately and report to His Royal Highness the Prince of Jin that the vanguard battalion of the Imperial Guards has arrived in the Tumubao area!"

"If nothing unexpected happens, Emperor Zhao Gan will also arrive at Tumubao with the army today or tomorrow. Please ask His Royal Highness the Prince of Jin to make a quick decision!"

"Later, this general will lead the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry Vanguard Battalion to Tumubao and wait for an opportunity to act!"

"I have received the order!"

The messenger immediately received the order, then jumped on his horse and galloped all the way towards Wuzhou City.

Huo Qubing ordered again: "Everyone, discard everything except combat equipment, follow this general to Tumubao and kill the enemy by surprise!"

"Got it!"

......

Two hours later, the messenger sent by Huo Qubing finally arrived at the Longcheng Jingnan Army on the march and met with Jin Wang Chen Huaian as soon as possible.

"Report--"

"Your Highness Jin Wang, the general of the cavalry ordered me to report that the vanguard camp of the imperial guards arrived in Tumubao two hours ago!"

"General Huo speculated that Emperor Zhao Gan and the enemy's large forces will arrive at Tumubao today and tomorrow. General Huo has led the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry vanguard to Tumubao and wait for an opportunity to move. Please make a quick decision, Your Highness Jin Wang!"

Hmm?

Hearing this, Chen Huaian frowned slightly, thinking that Zhao Gan's marching speed is not slow!

The distance from Wuzhou to Tumubao and from Youzhou to Tumubao is only a few dozen miles. In less than a day, the vanguard battalion of the Imperial Guards had arrived at Tumubao.

Such a marching speed may only be achieved by the cavalry marching at full speed.

This is fine, but it means that the marching formation of the more than 200,000 troops under Zhao Qian will be infinitely stretched, and the head and tail will not be able to look at each other at all.

After all, Zhao Gan's 200,000 Japanese soldiers and 20,000 imperial guards could not all be cavalry.

According to this marching speed, the infantry and baggage troops will inevitably be dragged to the back of the entire marching team.

Without the protection of soldiers, the infantry and heavy troops preparing for the Japanese soldiers will completely become fish on the chopping board under the sword of the Dragon City cavalry.

Chen Huaian immediately ordered: "Come here, please pass on this king's order——"

"Fan Wuji led three thousand Dragon City Tiefutu; Pang Xianchu led ten thousand tiger and leopard cavalry, and marched to Tumu Fort at full speed with me. They did not hesitate to sprint with the physical strength of the horses, leaving only one horse to maintain its strength and take charge of the battle!"

"General Wang Jian is responsible for leading 20,000 Qin Rui soldiers to follow closely. I will not put a time limit on Qin Rui soldiers rushing to Tumu Fort, but before sunset, the army must unite in the Tumu Fort area!"

"Generals, do you all understand?"

"The last general takes command!"

The generals on horseback all clasped their fists to receive orders.

at dusk.

The Longcheng Iron Buddha and Tiger and Leopard Cavalry led by Chen Huaian finally arrived less than twenty miles away from Tumu Fort. The cavalry soldiers began to wear armor and swords in an orderly manner.

"Report——"

"His Royal Highness the King of Jin, the emperor's dragon chariot has been spotted ahead!"