After Chen Xi issued his orders, the command flag waved, and the drumbeats changed to a rapid rhythm. The cavalry hidden on both flanks immediately charged out.
"Order Xu Chu to ride and notify General Guan to return. Prepare for the second wave of attacks from the left, center, and right cavalry to crush Yuan Shao's army," Chen Xi commanded the messenger. If his estimation was correct, those three strikes Xu Chu delivered earlier must have been near his full strength. He was likely fatigued by now, and ordering him to charge again could be risky, as he might get surrounded by the enemy.
When the messenger reached the battlefield and found Xu Chu, Xu Chu was enthusiastically swinging his massive blade, slaughtering enemies left and right. Although his internal energy had indeed been exhausted, Xu Chu was the kind of man whose physical stamina recovered quickly. Even without his internal energy, he was still a fierce warrior, leading his guards in a bloody rampage.
"General Xu, Lord Chen orders you to notify General Guan to return and to lead the Sword and Shield troops. You will lead the Tiger Guard cavalry, and General Zhao will lead the White Horse volunteers in the final attack. You will break through the enemy ranks, General Guan will expand the advantage, and General Zhao will target the enemy commanders," the messenger relayed Chen Xi's latest orders.
"Alright, I'll go notify General Guan," Xu Chu said, scanning the battlefield to ensure there were no significant issues before riding off.
After the perimeter fence was breached, Yuan Shao's forces had counterattacked, trying to overwhelm Chen Xi's army. Leveraging the advantage of their cloud energy, they managed to suppress Chen Xi's forces during the first wave. However, Liu Bei's army quickly regained control, relying on the combat experience of their seasoned soldiers.
"Liu Bei's army seems excessively elite. How is this possible? A single soldier can dodge a bolt and attack simultaneously! How were they trained to this level?" Jiang Qi observed the battlefield while commanding his troops. He was increasingly alarmed by the skill and coordination of Liu Bei's soldiers.
"These soldiers—are they truly just ordinary troops? Even when scattered, they regroup on their own. Eight out of ten soldiers can use at least three different weapons, and they even know how to deflect arrows. How were these soldiers trained?" The more Jiang Qi observed, the more he was stunned. Liu Bei's soldiers seemed beyond the description of seasoned veterans; they seemed capable of finding the optimal way to kill their enemies.
Jiang Qi's expression grew darker. He had been appointed as commander by Ju Shou because of his ability to analyze and seize opportunities, and his competence in leading troops. But in this situation, Jiang Qi could only conclude that if they lost, it wasn't his fault. The enemy wasn't just strong in leadership—they were also strong in their soldiers!
Liu Bei's veterans wielded long spears, held large shields, and brandished long swords. They were equipped with a full range of short and long weapons, and they fought in groups. If one soldier fell, another immediately took their place. It was rare to see a soldier fighting alone, and if any rookie tried to do so, an experienced veteran would knock them down with a spear shaft and then form up with others to fight as a team.
This level of combat skill left Jiang Qi almost speechless. The only explanation was that over half of these soldiers had participated in at least ten battles of varying scales and survived. In other words, these soldiers, in any other army, would be considered the backbone.
Moreover, in Liu Bei's army, issues like tetanus or infections were practically nonexistent. As long as a soldier survived the battlefield, they were unlikely to die later from their wounds. The soldiers' vitality remained strong—after all, they hadn't yet enjoyed the good life for long and weren't ready to die anytime soon.
After participating in about ten battles, even the most mentally challenged soldiers would learn how to fight. Veterans who had walked the line between life and death ten times developed a level of ferocity and control over their strength that no recruit could match. They might not be able to take on two enemies at once, but they could certainly handle one without any problem.
"It seems the enemy is running out of tricks," Chen Xi said with a smile, not caring that he used another idiom that wasn't from this era.
"It does seem that way. Yuan Shao's army has good combat discipline; they've lost almost 20% of their troops, yet their morale hasn't dropped significantly. Their commanders also have a good grasp of battlefield control, but our soldiers' superiority is too obvious," Guo Jia agreed, nodding.
The greatest strength of Liu Bei's army was that the mid- and low-level officers had ample combat experience. As long as the top leadership didn't give foolish orders, the soldiers could fight effectively on their own.
"However, it's clear that if they had chosen to retreat while fighting, even our elite troops would find it difficult to rout them. But by engaging in a prolonged battle like this, Yuan Shao's army is bound to collapse sooner or later."
"They probably want to thoroughly understand our combat capabilities. After all, this is the first high-intensity conflict between us and the northern forces. They likely want to assess our strength," Guo Jia speculated. "But let's not move the 3,000 reserves lightly."
"Of course. Gongxi, it seems you're not suited for aggressive assaults. I'll leave the 3,000 reserves under your command. If the enemy launches a powerful counterattack and the frontline shows signs of breaking, you will reinforce them. How about that?" Chen Xi turned to Chen Chi.
"I won't let you down, Lord Chen," Chen Chi replied, bowing. Chen Xi's earlier maneuvers had seemed incredibly risky, but they quickly broke the stalemate and brought the battle under control—something Chen Chi realized he lacked the ability to do.
"Hmm, Gongxi, if the enemy launches a powerful counterattack, how do you plan to respond?" Chen Xi decided to give Chen Chi a heads-up, as his previous performance hadn't been satisfactory—he had been too cautious.
"Naturally, I would deploy the large shields to the front," Chen Chi answered.
"Oh, go ahead then, and make sure to prepare the ballistae and crossbows," Chen Xi reminded him, not pressing the matter further.
After Chen Chi left, Chen Xi turned to Guo Jia. "This guy is too rigid and by-the-book, isn't he?"
"Don't you think he'd be excellent for garrison defense?" Guo Jia replied with a smile. "Not everyone can be like you."
"Please, my command skills are subpar. It's just that the soldiers respect me, and with Generals Guan Yu and Zhao Yun here, they listen to my orders. As for breaking the stalemate, I only knew I could do it because I'm aware of how strong my cards are. But the enemy commander is quite skilled," Chen Xi sighed.
"Hmm, what's the enemy doing now?" Guo Jia said nonchalantly, glancing at the enemy formations. In the brief time they had been observing, the enemy troops had already split into two large phalanxes, preparing for a counterattack.