Ch. 566..570: The Princess of Northern Land Chapter 566-570

Chapter 566: Chapter 566: Breaking the Fire Bull Formation (3)_1

They sent out five men, naturally, Chu Suifeng’s side also had to send out five men.

"Today, let us see who won’t be able to return." Luo Ying sneered.

"What, planning to land few blows and then run?"

"Quit talking nonsense, if you dare, come and fight."

The two sides exchanged heated words and immediately started fighting.

"Be careful." Luo Ying reminded his own men.

A few of them nodded, then scattered to find suitable opponents to fight against.

Watching from afar, Bayal felt a sense of unease. Chu Suifeng’s men fought against certain officers on his side every day, but why were they changing their opponents this time? Was it a plot?

However, he quickly realized that after several days of combat, they all knew each other’s bottom line. Even if the other side was scheming, they wouldn’t be affected.

Unfortunately, their overconfidence resulted in heavy losses.

Luo Ying wielded a spear. After just a few rounds of fighting, he turned his horse’s head and began to retreat. The soldiers of the North Country had been suppressing their anger for long and they would certainly not let him escape easily. They spurred their horses and gave chase right away.

The Tatars’ horses were significantly stronger than those of the Northern Land, and they were about to catch up with Luo Ying soon.

Cheers erupted from the enemy side in anticipation. Just then, Luo Ying suddenly switched direction and attacked with his spear. The unsuspecting pursuers were stabbed in the chest and fell from their horses.

The cheering from the North Country instantly ceased.

The fallen Tatar was not dead yet, he resisted the pain trying to stand up. Seeing this, the other four officers on the battlefield were taken aback and they rushed to save their comrade.

However, the Northern Land’s officers wouldn’t let them. The four of them were immediately engaged, and they had to watch helplessly as Luo Ying pierced the Tatar officer with his spear.

"Damn it! Today we fight to the death." A Tatar officer roared and swung his broadsword towards the head of the Northern Land officer.

"None of you will escape today."

... The Tatar officers from the North Country fought fiercely, using all their strength.

Unfortunately, the current battlefield was a 5-to-4 match. Given that none of them were significantly more powerful than the other, with Luo Ying’s victory, the power disparity became even more evident.

Luo Ying and his comrades were also determined to fight a fast and decisive battle, showing no signs of weakness. In a short while, another Tatar officer fell from his horse.

"National Master."

"Chief Commander."

The seated Tatar officers could no longer remain still and pleaded to join the battle.

"Amuzhen, Zhe Bie, you two go." Bayal, losing two major generals in a row, could no longer remain idle.

The named officers received their orders and immediately marched forward.

At this moment, the tide of the battlefield shifted once again.

The North Country’s five top generals banded together and killed another Tatar officer while seriously injuring another one.

"You’re seeking death!" Amuzhen roared furiously. His horse seemed to fly, desperately rushing over to rescue his comrade. Just then, the Northern Land began to sound the retreat.

Luo Ying and his comrades exchanged looks, bidding a regretful glance at the remaining Tatar officers, then turned their horses unabashedly and rode back to the city.

"Bastards, you want to run? No way." The late-arriving Amuzhen and Zhe Bie saw the officers of the Northern Land retreat and were furious, they wanted to give chase immediately.

Just then, they heard their own side signaling the retreat.

"Let them off this time."

"Cowards!" Amuzhen and Zhe Bie were seething with anger, but they couldn’t disregard the army’s orders. They grudgingly brought back their injured comrades.

Chapter 567: Chapter 567: Breaking the Fire Bull Formation (4)_1

This battle ended with the Tatars losing three generals, one severely injured and one lightly injured.

"Haha, let the Tatars be arrogant again." The morale of the Northern Land army was greatly boosted, and the spirit of the soldiers was full of energy.

In contrast, the morale of the enemy on the other side of the river seemed much lower.

"National Master, I request to fight again tomorrow. We must make those bastards pay." Hatred made the Tatar’s commander even more ferocious.

"Chief Commander, the deaths of our brothers cannot be in vain. I request to massacre the city."

...

"National Master." Bayal looked at Billy, who hadn’t spoken a word, his face equally gloomy. They had been too careless, resulting in such heavy losses.

"We will rest tomorrow." The National Master spoke coldly.

"National Master."

"Master." The soldiers were unconvinced, and even more unwilling to accept it.

"The Fire Bull Formation is enough to bury them alive, whether they open the city gates or not. With the Fire Bulls, capturing the city will be a piece of cake." Billy said coldly.

"The National Master is right." Bayal also calmed down. "As long as the Fire Bulls arrive, we can break through Border City without any casualties. After entering the city, do whatever you want. For now, be patient and wait."

A desperate battle was inevitable. The weather was getting colder, and the first snow would arrive soon. By then, the severe cold would be their biggest enemy. They couldn’t afford to wait, they had to conserve their energy and quickly decide the battle.

Pride leads to downfall. Luo Heng, while celebrating their victory with the soldiers, also passionately warned them to remain vigilant and not underestimate the enemy.

The soldiers dared not to take it lightly. In the past half a year, they had been practising fighting in queues to crack the Fire Bull Formation. The power of the Fire Bull Formation had long been deeply rooted in their hearts.

Three days of rest, both parties were conserving energy.

"According to the spy’s message, the Fire Bull will arrive tomorrow." Luo Heng started.

"Prince, once the Fire Bull arrives, the enemy will launch an attack." Situ Gong also looked at Chu Suifeng, "East City’s defense is in the hands of Jiang Shan, South City is defended by Pan Li, and West City is watched by Luo Ying. The Tatars’ desire to win by surprise is bound to fail."

"It would be best if we could cut off their retreat." Lin Ziyin was also in the camp.

"The Tatars build bridges by connecting floats, even if we send people to drill through their boats, it will not help. These boats are tied with ropes, once the rope is cut, the boats can separate. Moreover, Billy is a very cautious person. When using the floating bridge, he will definitely consider that we might use fire or drill the boat, he must have a backup plan." Situ Gong answered.

If they had a modern bomber, Lin Ziyin thought privately. But this thought only lingered in her mind for a moment and then it was over.

She didn’t want to bring modern lethal weapons to ancient times, even if she could create a simple plane.

"Wei Chengzhi will lead the crossbowmen to cooperate with the Long Spear Team to break the Fire Bull, and Xun Weichun will follow up." Luo Heng started to assign tasks.

...

Lin Ziyin quietly listened to Chu Suifeng and others arranging manpower, assigning tasks, and gained a new understanding of Luo Heng and Situ Gong. Ancient people’s wisdom is indeed not to be underestimated.

She had explained the thirty-six stratagems to Chu Suifeng, Situ Gong, and Si Jinhan, but didn’t expect that Situ Gong could make such thorough arrangements based on the actual situation in the Northern Land.

Whether it’s the mobilization of personnel or the method of setting up the formation, in Lin Ziyin’s view, the arrangements of Chu Suifeng and Situ Gong are quite comprehensive. Even in modern military exercises, their arrangements can be considered clever.

 

Chapter 568: Chapter 568: Breaking the Fire Bull Formation (5)_1

The battle began as expected.

"Chu Suifeng, you are nothing but a coward. Come out and fight me for three hundred rounds if you dare." The North Kingdom made their entrance with a heavyweight - Timur.

As the vanguard of the North Kingdom, this is Timur’s first real battle. It’s clear that they are taking today’s fight very seriously.

Chu Suifeng’s look was gloomy, "March the army out."

"Yes, your highness." Luo Heng acknowledged loudly, then began giving out orders.

"Your highness, I want to go too." Lin Ziyin quickly said.

"The battlefield is a man’s business, you stay safe inside the city." This time, Chu Suifeng didn’t go along with her idea, "You four need to guard the princess properly. If anything happens, I will have your heads."

"Yes, your highness." Hong Ying and Lun Luo both bowed in acknowledgement, their faces solemn. They certainly took Chu Suifeng’s warning seriously.

"Don’t worry, your highness, we will surely protect the princess." This time, even Jue Hui and Jue Ming leaned towards Chu Suifeng, apparently they also didn’t want Lin Ziyin joining the battle outside the city.

"Relax, this humble monk will help you watch over your wife." Master Hui Zhen grinned and stepped forward to reassure.

"The battlefield belongs to men, even if you’re capable. I’d rather not have you take the risk. Just stay here and wait for my triumphant return." Chu Suifeng gently comforted her.

Lin Ziyin nodded, feeling a bit regretful for her impetuosity.

When it came to strategies and martial strength, she was far behind Chu Suifeng and the others. Her specialty was in mechanics, so she wouldn’t be of much help on the battlefield.

"Master Hui Zhen, I leave her to you." Chu Suifeng solemnly entrusted Lin Ziyin to Master Hui Zhen.

"No worries, wait and see. When you return, your wife will be safe and sound." Master Hui Zhen replied impatiently while fidgeting with his Buddha Beads.

"Your highness, the city gate is open." Situ Gong’s face was sober.

"Go out." Having chosen a head-on attack, Chu Suifeng took the lead with his massive army out of the city, followed closely by Luo Heng with another group of soldiers.

"The Prince is indeed straightforward." Bayal was overjoyed the moment he saw Chu Suifeng leaving the city.

He was worried that Chu Suifeng, as a prince, would not join the battle. If Chu Suifeng and Situ Gong didn’t come out, it would indeed be challenging for them to capture Border City.

But surprisingly, both Situ Gong and Chu Suifeng appeared together. These two were the most potent figures in the Northern Land.

Ha-ha, it’s like heaven is aiding their North Kingdom. Just kill Chu Suifeng and Situ Gong in this battle, and the remaining people will not be worth mentioning. At that point, it won’t just be the whole Northern Land that belongs to their North Kingdom, but also the distant Daqin.

"National Master." Bayal turned to Billy, "Is the Fire Bull Formation ready to be deployed?"

"Even if Chu Suifeng had six arms and three heads, he could not escape this time." Billy glared viciously at the distant Chu Suifeng. Despite the distance that hindered a clear look at Suifeng’s face, it was obvious from the appearance of Chu Suifeng and Situ Gong together that they were taking the warriors of the North Kingdom lightly.

Let Chu Suifeng and Situ Gong enjoy their brief moment of success. Once the Fire Bull is released, Chu Suifeng and Situ Gong will taste the disastrous consequences of their overconfidence. "Timur and Barne, you guys lead a group of soldiers to flank from the left, Tente and Anzhamu, you flank from the right. Your task is to cut off Chu Suifeng’s line of retreat."

"Yes, National Teacher." The named generals all brimmed with confidence. The thought of capturing Chu Suifeng, the War God of the Northern Land, stirred waves of excitement in their hearts.

Chapter 569: Chapter 569: Breaking the Fire Bull Formation (6)_1

As long as they capture Chu Suifeng or Situ Gong, their rankings among the warriors of the North Country will definitely advance. The thought of the imminent glory made them almost unable to wait to charge immediately.

"Do not underestimate Chu Suifeng, Situ Gong, and Luo Heng," Billy admonished them sternly, looking at the excited generals, "Remember, you have to work together to capture Chu Suifeng. As for Luo Heng, you can let him go."

"National Master, Si Jinhan did not join the battle." Timur, sharp-eyed and the most courageous warrior in the North Country, always had a grudge against Si Jinhan of the Northern Land. He thought Si Jinhan was too soft and unpleasant to his eyes and had long wanted to defeat him.

The absence of his rival made Timur feel bad. Moreover, Si Jinhan was always inseparable from Chu Suifeng. Now Chu Suifeng was in the battlefield, but Si Jinhan didn’t appear, which was quite strange.

"Chu Suifeng and Situ Gong are cunning indeed, even thinking that we will send troops from the East City for a surprise attack." Billy sneered, "But, it’s not much use even if they guess right. If they can attract a strong general over there, that’s good. Haha, the main battlefield is here. With fewer reliable people around Chu Suifeng, you have a better chance of capturing him."

"Rest assured National Master, I will block Chu Suifeng’s retreat and defeat them completely."

Chu Suifeng, adhering to the principle of not making a move unless the enemy does, kept his army on hold.

At that moment, the enemy’s war drums suddenly sounded.

"Prince, they’re coming," Situ Gong said.

Chu Suifeng nodded. Today, he and Situ Gong were acting as bait. Knowing Billy and Bayal well, if he and Situ Gong did not leave the city, the cunning Billy and Bayal would not release the Fire Bulls so quickly, or even stake all their forces.

As the drumbeat sounded, a cloud of dust rose up, and then a deafening noise came. This noise was not human shouting, but the mooing of the cows, and the sound similar to the horse’s hoofs was particularly heavy.

Chu Suifeng and his men quickly understood that the Northern Country’s trump card had finally been played.

Lin Ziyin stood on the city wall. Because she stood high, she could see particularly far.

Amidst the rising dust, she had clearly seen the beefy Fire Bulls that were marching out.

Each of the bulls was robust, and each one had sharp knives tied to their sharp horns, and firecrackers were hung behind their tails, making the frightened bulls become crazy and terrifying.

The frenzied herd of cattle was even more terrifying.

When the soldiers of the Northern Land saw the crazed herd of cattle, many were trembling in their hearts. However, due to their rigorous training and patriotism, none of them fled. Instead, they all gripped their weapons tighter.

"The soldiers under Chu Suifeng are indeed no weaklings." Seeing the soldiers’ reaction, Bayal sighed and felt a newfound respect for Chu Suifeng.

"Crossbowmen prepare, long spear formation deploy," Chu Suifeng ordered, and a contingent of black-armored soldiers immediately stood in the front line.

These black-armored soldiers rode tall horses, each holding a weapon resembling a long spear. However, upon closer inspection, these long spears had a difference. That was, under the spearhead, there was an added crescent-like piece.

Facing the crazed Fire Bulls, they felt no fear and charged at an extremely fast speed.

Billy and Bayal both narrowed their eyes.

As the Great Commander and National Master of the North Country, neither of them would be foolish. They wouldn’t believe Chu Suifeng was sending the black-armored soldiers to their deaths in their kamikaze-style charge.

Chapter 570: Chapter 570: Breaking the Fire Bull Formation (7)_1

So, had Chu Suifeng thought of a solution to break the Fire Bull Formation all along?

Bayal and Billy pondered this possibility, but they found it hard to believe. After all, even though they had trained the Fire Bull Formation, they had never managed to find a way to break it.

How could Chu Suifeng and Situ Gong have a strategy ready when they encountered the Fire Bull Formation for the first time?

The price of overconfidence is terrifying. The spirits of the North Country soldiers had been hugely boosted by the Fire Bull Formation. They followed behind the flaming bulls, shouting loudly, just like the cheerful calls they gave when chasing horses and cattle during usual herding. However, in a blink of an eye, they were taken aback.

The Northern Land’s black-armored soldiers had come charging but suddenly stopped midway. Following that, the first line of fire bulls all collapsed while bellowing in what seemed like extreme pain.

As sharp knives were tied to the horns of the bulls, when the first row of bulls fell, some of the bulls in the second row directly crashed into those in front, causing the scene to become somewhat chaotic.

The charging fire bulls were brought down by the long spears of the black-armored soldiers, tripping over their front legs, and a good number of them collapsed.

Of the calamity, about a dozen bulls that had miraculously escaped were then brought down by the second row of black-armored soldiers.

These black-armored soldiers were ruthless. Whenever a fallen bull reached them, they immediately struck again aiming directly at the bull’s neck. It seemed eerily like these actions were part of regular training.

For a moment, the air was filled with the smell of blood, and the sound of the bulls’ agonized cries, the horses’ whinnies, and the fierce battle cries of the soldiers echoed around.

"State Preceptor Sir," Bayal cried out urgently.

Training the Fire Bull Formation had taken the North Country nearly half a year, and the bulls deployed were picked from the strongest across the nation. But, unexpectedly, these seemingly ferocious flaming bulls were annihilated by the black-armored soldiers of the Northern Land without even having a chance to display their prowess on the battlefield.

Bayal was unwilling to accept this defeat.

Billy was even more frustrated. After all, he was the one who had developed the Fire Bull Formation. Before they set out for the battle, he had assured their monarch that he would return with the heads of Chu Suifeng and Situ Gong. However, their ultimate trump card, the Fire Bulls, proved to be incredibly fragile and was decimated without even exerting any real strength.

They hadn’t even had time to react.

The situation on the battlefield was still changing rapidly. As the Fire Bull Formation dispersed, the North Country soldiers who had been following the bulls were exposed, and the battle between both armies officially began.

The first heavy blow delivered to them by the Northern Land was a dense barrage of arrows.

The North Country also had archers. However, the range and power of the arrows coming from Chu Suifeng’s side far exceeded theirs. Bayal and Billy, shocked, watched as their men kept falling and stood up abruptly.

As soon as the North Country’s army arrived, Chu Suifeng’s commanders immediately shifted formations. Their unique formation was transformed instantly. Chu Suifeng, being the most distinguished of the Northern Land, was immediately encircled and protected by his soldiers.

"State Preceptor Sir, I have never seen that formation used by Chu Suifeng’s side before?" Billy’s eyes widened. Even with his vast knowledge and experience he had never seen such an exquisite formation. What perplexed him was how the close-quarter attack capabilities of the ordinary soldiers of the Northern Land had increased so considerably.

What had Chu Suifeng been doing all of this past year? Why have the enemy’s ordinary soldiers progressed so much? And those peculiar crossbows, how was their range so long? The endless mysteries left him nearly speechless with frustration.

The situation on the battlefield was already severe. But what exacerbated it for Billy and Bayal was the fact that they had sent out several of their capable generals to obstruct the retreat path of Chu Suifeng’s army. Their own soldiers were now exposed and in disarray, like sand scattered in the wind.

In comparison, Chu Suifeng’s army was well-disciplined and their cohesive maneuvers were boldly apparent.

"How could this be? How could this be?" A cruel look transformed Billy’s face, "Why didn’t our spies relay this crucial information?"

Hearing Billy roaring in a hoarse voice, Bayal could only give a bitter smile.

Chu Suifeng’s men had always been loyal to him, thus, trying to bribe them was not easy.

Only soldiers of lower ranks were successfully bribed, but they hardly had access to the plans of the high-ranking officers. Moreover, Chu Suifeng would definitely not have disclosed the true power of the formation to them. Ordinary soldiers focusing on their training would hardly be able to decipher the subtleties of their formation.

"Incredible!" On the city wall, Master Hui Zhen, observing the enemy army being defeated and retreating in disarray, was overjoyed and patted his thigh. "This Eight Trigrams Array is indeed formidable. Situ Gong, the Prince, they both are quite something, to be able to come up with such an exquisite strategy."

Lin Ziyin carefully watched the battlefield below, her eyes following Chu Suifeng in the crowd of soldiers.

She agreed with Master Hui Zhen’s words. Although she was the one who had suggested and explained the Eight Trigrams Array, the fact that Chu Suifeng, Situ Gong, and Luo Heng had managed to train the soldiers so well in such a short time and continuously changing their formation according to the battlefield’s situation was entirely beyond her expectations.