Chapter 213 Rescuing Lu Zhi (1/2)
Chapter 213 – Rescuing Lu Zhi
One kilometer south of the ambush areas.
Zhou Cang was on full alert today since the spies had warned him about the ambush operation. Lu Zhi and his family were also ready as the cages were unlocked. With a light push, they could open the cage and flee from the caravans.
All troops surrounding the caravans were all Zhou Cang's men and the bribed men. Everything was set.
The breath of Zhou Cang was short and quick as he was nervous. Even if they managed to break away from the marching troops, they still had to fend for themselves until they could reach either Nie County or Shangdang.
He was praying that Jinyang Army could catch up soon.
Today, Liu Ping did not come to harass or threaten to execute the prisoners, which relieved their stress. Although they had not eaten proper food for months after their imprisonment, their eyes brightened as they were waiting for today.
*BOOM*
*RUMBLE*
A loud commotion broke out a kilometer in front of them. Because the marching troops were crowded, nobody could see what had happened at the front.
The sound pulled Zhou Cang back from his thought. The ambush had begun.
”NOW!”
*CLANK*
All prisoners, Lu Zhi's family members, and household servants broke out from their wheeled cages. At the same moment, the hired soldiers drew their weapons and began their slaughtering.
”What are yo-ARRRH!”
”Traitors!”
The bribed soldiers were conscripted soldiers that Dong Zhuo had drafted. They had no loyalty toward the Imperial Army or the court from the very start. With a promise of gold and status in Julu, they were willing to take risks.
”KILL!”
A mix battalion of five thousand men and one thousand cavalries turned around and attacked the reserve troops behind them.
As everyone broke out of their cells, Lu Zhi guided his comrades to follow after the uprising troops.
”Follow closely! We'll steal their supply wagons!”
A dozen of Lu Zhi's relatives and a hundred servants had been dying for this chance to break out. None of them defied Lu Zhi's order.
The reserve troops at the back of the marching lines had not yet taken out their weapons. Zhou Cang rushed at them and swung his halberd, killing five of them in one swing.
Like a spearhead, his horse charged into the dense crowd while the horsemen charged after him without a prior discussed plan or consultation. Everyone understood their roles without saying a word.
While one thousand horsemen were diving into the backlines, the one thousand elites of Julu led the four thousand bribed soldiers to charge at the leftover soldiers that survived the horse onslaught.
The charge lasted for five minutes before the troops on the front realized what had happened at the back.
”They are breaking away!”
”Deserters!”
”Kill the traitors!”
A thousand Imperial soldiers turned around to chase after Zhou Cang and the rest. However, the other troops did not bother coming after them.
”Soldiers! Help us kill the traitors!”
Reluctant appeared in the ordinary soldiers' eyes. Dong Zhuo had forcefully conscripted these soldiers from western provinces, which had nothing to do with this political war. They were not willing to follow the orders of the nobles or the professional troops.
”PROTECT THE EMPEROR!!”
Another voice came from the front, which seemed to be a relayed message. Something had happened to the Emperor near the ambushed areas.
”Ignore the deserters, help the Emperor!”
”To the front! Hurry!”
All of the attention was on the ambush site further ahead. Battalion commanders immediately issued an order to rush forward.
In the end, only a thousand soldiers of the noble houses chased after Zhou Cang as the commotion at the ambush site diverted the majority of the soldiers' attention.
Within a minute, noblemen's private troops caught up with Lu Zhi and Zhou Cang's men. The distance was only a hundred meters away.
Lu Zhi looked back as he heard the noise of the pursuing infantries. Seeing the rushing Imperial soldiers, Lu Zhi shouted.
”I need a thousand men with me. Give me a sword!”
Although Lu Zhi was a scholar in his 40s, he had basic training in martial arts since he was born in a noble family. In terms of fighting, he had never lost against a common soldier.
Because Zhou Cang was busy paving the ways for the infantries on the frontline, he did not notice the pincer attack from the back. Thus, Lu Zhi had to take over the army command.
A platoon of a thousand men answered the call of Lu Zhi as they also noticed the pursuers. A rearguard unit was formed as they improvised.
The mixed force of a thousand men collided with the oncoming troops, generating the sounds of the metallic crashes and death throes. Lu Zhi was also part of the one thousand rearguards. He mixed in with the army and attacked the nearest enemy.
*SWUA*
One soldier dropped dead by the hands of the scholar. Lu Zhi stepped back and darted his eyes around to check his surroundings, looking for another enemy to kill while checking the status of the battlefield. As he realized that he was in the middle of the ally's pack of formation, Lu Zhi used this opportunity to observe the situation of the battle.
It was one thousand versus one thousand men, with soldiers on both sides having similar skills.
Lu Zhi was part of the group's left flank, and the his soldiers were pushing into the Imperial soldier square formation. On the other hand, the middle group of Lu Zhi's team was falling apart by the charge while the right wing was in a stalemate with the enemies.
If this continued, the rearguard formation would be broken into two!
'There should be a lieutenant leading the charge in the middle. Then I can do this.'
In terms of knowledge, wisdom, and stratagems, Lu Zhi was confident that he could apply them into a real battle situation. He was not afraid of any basic battle tactic such as charging through the middle.
”MIDDLE TROOPS, DISENGAGE AND MOVE TO ASSIST THE RIGHT WING! LEFT WING, BREAKTHROUGH THE ENEMY LINE AND CIRCLE AROUND THEIR BACKLINE!”
”ZHOU CANG! I NEED 500 MEN TO REINFORCE THE REAR!!”
Before the formation collapsed, Lu Zhi sent a maneuvering command.