Chapter 938 - 104: Battle of Wits and Courage, First Clash

Although the new generation of generals does not possess the mature combat experience of the old ones.

But Gu Yan has completely articulated what Genghis Khan might do.

This is a guaranteed score question!

Yet perhaps it is precisely because Kyushu is too powerful.

Although Gu Yan has already spoken this far, there are still some who couldn’t help but say, "Genghis Khan... After all, he is the chieftain of the plains. Even though he is fierce, can he really use troops in such a... cunning and deceitful way?"

"Separating forces for a distant raid carries great risk; once the looting is sufficient, will he truly risk further?"

To put it bluntly, they are still underestimating Genghis Khan.

In truth, these people cannot be blamed.

After all, Kyushu’s prowess is evident here. Coupled with Kyushu’s development supported by the Gu Clan, the threat from the plains never seemed fatal.

The only one to step into the Central Plains, since the emergence of the Gu Clan, was Wanyan Digü.

Yet even he was driven back by the Gu Clan.

Under such circumstances, combined with Kyushu not yet being in chaos, how could these generals possibly maintain the same mindset as Gu Yan?

Gu Yan turned around and looked at everyone again: "Ladies and gentlemen, do not let the word ’Barbarians’ make you underestimate the enemy!"

"The incompetent cannot unify the tribes of the vast seas, nor make the rebellious heroes of the plains bow down!"

"Genghis Khan, having established his dominance among wolves, must have exceptional vision, courage, and strategy, even exceeding our imaginations."

"If we only view him as a brute who knows nothing but charging and looting, then we are half-defeated before the battle even begins!"

He paused, then said solemnly: "I do not know exactly how he will place his pieces, but expanding the battlefield, avoiding strength to strike weakness, and prioritizing sabotage over siege will surely be his first choice. Our strategy must also be based on this premise!"

Gu Yan didn’t say anything further but looked solemnly at the officers and began to formulate tactics directly.

"Issue my command—"

"Immediately instruct the patrol units to adjust the range and focus of their surveillance."

"Not only must we defend against enemies at the front, but also strengthen reconnaissance and alertness on the flanks and rear of the defense line, especially on roads and valleys leading towards Cangzhou and the coastal directions."

"Dispatch small teams to expand the warning range."

"Secondly—"

"Send urgent messages to Cangzhou, Hejian, and all counties along the coast to enter the highest state of alert."

"Salt yards, docks, and official warehouses must be guarded by additional troops, organizing local militias for joint defense and clearing terrain that allows cavalry to hide."

Naturally, he could not predict all of Genghis Khan’s thoughts.

But he could conduct large-scale prevention.

Compared to Genghis Khan, Gu Yan has an advantage he does not possess.

That is the foundation of Kyushu!

Compared to Mongolia, Gu Yan has enough confidence to drag out the situation; as long as all Mongolian cavalry is kept outside Kyushu, given Mongolia’s limitations, they can’t hold out for long.

And once they retreat—

Genghis Khan’s influence on the plains will plummet.

By then, Gu Yan has ten thousand ways to directly eliminate Genghis Khan!

This is truly the talent of a commander.

Not restricting the outcome of the entire war to the battlefield but remaining clear-minded to make choices most favorable to Kyushu at present.

Plains cavalry are brave.

But how could he abandon his own advantage to fight them in melee?

——The invisible struggle unfolded instantly.

This is a purely strategic contest between Gu Yan and Genghis Khan.

Even if the two have never met, this battle has already unfolded with the entire battlefield.

...

Cangzhou, Changlu Salt Yard.

This place is one of Hebei East Road’s most important sea salt production areas; the vast salt pools glimmer with frost under the sparse autumn sun, a salty smell carried by the Bohai Sea wind from afar.

The perimeter of the salt yard originally only had some crude fences and a small number of patrol officers.

But three days after Gu Yan’s military order arrived, the scene changed dramatically.

The newly appointed Cangzhou defense commander had led fifteen hundred infantry and three hundred local militia into the core area of the salt yard. They relied on the existing earthen mounds and warehouses, fortifying them overnight to construct several simple but practical defense lines.

More crucially, thousands of kilnhouse occupants and salt workers within the salt yard were quickly organized, formed into security groups, and armed with simple weapons to handle lookout, patrol, and assist in transport functions.

No one treated Gu Yan’s orders lightly.

Even though he is just an inexperienced young man, he nonetheless bears the Song surname.

Even Gu Yi had to concede.

Currently, in all of Kyushu, the influence of the Gu Clan has reached its pinnacle, surpassing even the royal family.

The reasons for this are simple as well.

It’s because the Gu Clan has been in governance for five generations, and there is a reformist like Gu Hui among them.

This influence naturally far exceeds the past.

Of course, these series of actions did not cause too much commotion; after all, such large salt yards are inherently densely populated places, and coupled with deliberate concealment, they were difficult to detect.

And as events developed, it was just as Gu Yan had predicted.

On the night of October 15th.

The army led personally by Zhelimei made a sudden surprise attack on the entire salt yard with fifteen thousand elite cavalry.

This was his well-considered target.

Genghis Khan granted him ample space to act, ordering him to attack villages, salt yards, and key industrial areas.

Zhelimei scattered these forces completely.

And this Changlu Salt Yard was his carefully chosen focal point.

"Sons of the Eternal Heaven!"

"Charge with me!!!"

Under the moonlight, as the roar fell, it was replaced by a deafening chorus of battle cries and the sound of hooves.

"Kill!!!"

A crowd of cavalry charged directly towards the seemingly weakest point of the salt yard’s perimeter.

The sound of slaughter instantly pierced the dead silence of the night.

Zhelimei charged at the forefront.

His face bore no fear, feeling as if everything was going according to plan, confident that the Khan’s strategy couldn’t be wrong, and his eyes held no trace of dread.

But—

Just within one hundred paces of the earthen mounds—

"Buzz—!!!"

A hair-raising, resonating sound of bowstrings burst abruptly from behind the earth mounds, beside salt stacks, and even from behind short walls between salt pools!

These were not random arrows but hundreds of Divine Arm Crossbows and strong bows firing simultaneously at extremely close range!

Gunpowder weapons are killer moves, but they are limited in number.

Even though Gu Yan anticipated various possibilities of Genghis Khan, he equally couldn’t hand these over to scattered soldiers and militia.

But arrows were already sufficient.

Especially in such an ambush!

Boom! Boom!

Zhelimei reacted quickly, dodging arrow shots, but the cavalry behind him toppled over, and torches fell to the ground.

"Kill!!!"

At this moment, in the midst of the night, shouts of battle rang out again around them.

Amidst the firelight.

Figures darted all around them.

"Ambush!"

Zhelimei’s expression changed dramatically, but his reaction was swift, shouting loudly: "Scatter! Flank them, suppress with arrow rain!"

——This was the favorite tactic of the Mongolian cavalry.

And these men were indeed elite under his command, responding swiftly, transforming their charge formation into a quick dispersal like mercury, while drawing bows and nocking arrows to retaliate with riding and shooting.

Yet all this proved futile.

Most of their arrows clattered against earthen mounds, shields, and hastily piled salt bags.

The encirclement around them kept tightening.

"Break through! Retreat!"

Without any wasting words, Zhelimei immediately made a decision.

Then wielded his weapon swiftly.

Identifying a direction he charged rapidly toward it.

——Battle ignited fiercely.

Even though it was an ambush, these were not Song army elites; moreover, they faced one of the Mongolian’s elite cavalry units.

As Zhelimei stabilized the formation and began breaking out.

The battlefield situation grew increasingly chaotic.

But in the end, the Song army held the advantage.

An entire night passed with continuous slaughter.

Zhelimei, worthy of being a Mongol warrior, managed to lead his forces to escape despite heavy casualties.

But his spirits hadn’t lightened at all.

Ambushed... Unbelievably.

If he was ambushed here, what about the other forces that had been scattered?

Without him in the army.

Just how many could break through?

This fifteen thousand strong contingent is of elite status; if truly heavily lost, how can this battle continue?.....

....