"Zilong, after Mengqi defeats three, you go out and challenge them, and kill three of them too. A general needs to hone his skills on the battlefield; let their blood warm you up."
Lu Ming then turned to Zhang He and said, "Junyi, when you lead the troops into battle, be careful of Qu Yi's crossbowmen; they have quite a few large crossbows."
"Your humble servant obeys, my lord."
Zhao Yun, now clasped in silver armor and silver spear, looked quite dashing.
Compared to other generals, he was nothing special.
However, after spending time with Ma Chao, he had developed a good impression of him. Their relationship could be described as "friends formed through conflict."
"Your humble servant obeys."
Zhang He also solemnly clasped his hands in obscurity; he already had some ideas.
The first battle was against Qu Yi, which was indeed a considerable challenge. Qu Yi was a skilled and courageous general who had defeated Gongsun Zan.
If Gongsun Zan hadn't won the initial battles, he wouldn't have intended to join forces with Yuan Shao.
Lu Ming didn't plan to personally charge into battle, instead delegating the task to his subordinates, intending to provide support from the rear.
The biggest difference between him and Yuan Shao was that Lu Ming could influence his soldiers with an aura, making them faster, stronger, and more powerful simply by standing there.
He also had a medic on hand to save their lives.
Yuan Shao, standing in the center of the army, was purely a figurehead.
He himself wouldn't fight.
Therefore, by remaining still while the enemy didn't move, he actually gained an advantage.
In less than ten rounds, Ma Chao suddenly unleashed his power, his spear increasing in speed, instantly piercing Jiang Qi's throat.
Swiping the blood from the spear tip, he grinned and roared, "Who else!"
Yuan Shao was first surprised, then enraged. He was once the glorious heir to the Yuan family, but now, repeatedly pushed to this point by Lu Ming, he could no longer tolerate it.
"Yan Liang!"
"Your subordinate is here!"
Yan Liang stepped forward.
"Go and kill this fiend!"
Yuan Shao angrily ordered his general to charge. He was furious; having won with superior numbers, he was now being killed on the battlefield—he couldn't accept this humiliation.
However, an advisor beside Yuan Shao spoke up at this moment, advising, "My lord, you mustn't. Lu Ming must have some ulterior motive. Since ancient times, those who win with fewer troops always employ ingenious strategies."
"Now, our army only needs to crush them in a fair and square attack, and we can annihilate them in one fell swoop." "Once we capture Lu Ming, my lord can vent his anger however he wishes."
These words made Yuan Shao hesitate again. He watched as Yan Liang engaged Ma Chao in combat, neither gaining the upper hand.
Seeing Yuan Shao's predicament, Ju Shou knew he needed to add fuel to the fire. He pressed his advantage, "My lord, why don't you give the order? If General Yan is outmatched, order the entire army to launch a cover attack, catching him off guard and killing him! Ma Chao is Lu Ming's brother-in-law; killing him will surely throw his mind into disarray!"
Yuan Shao nodded in satisfaction. Guo Tu and Feng Ji beside him moved their lips but remained silent.
"Good, excellent! Give the order to prepare for the attack!"
The commotion on Yuan Shao's side was quickly noticed. Xu Shu had a telescope hanging around his neck, specifically for observing the enemy.
For ancient scouts, such a telescope was a game-changer.
"Yuan Jun might take advantage of the situation to launch a surprise attack; they're frequently mobilizing."
Xu Shu reminded him, prompting Tian Feng to curiously glance at the binoculars. He'd never heard of binoculars before; they were highly classified.
Lu Ming handed his binoculars to Tian Feng, explaining, "These are the masterpieces of my Qin craftsmen. I call them binoculars. They can break through the limits of eyesight, allowing you to see farther and more clearly."
"Thank you, my lord."
Tian Feng picked up the binoculars and examined them, surprised to find that if such a device could transmit information in a timely manner, it could significantly turn the tide of battle.
"The rest is up to you, Yuan Hao. You will command this battle. Yuan Zhi and I will watch and keep an eye on things."
Lu Ming was also eager to see if Tian Feng truly possessed the abilities he boasted about.
Tian Feng knew that whether he could take control of Ji Province depended on how well he fought this battle.
"Yes, my lord, please wait and see."
In ancient warfare, command was often conducted by waving flags. When Huang Zhong beheaded Xiahou Yuan at Dingjun Mountain, it was thanks to Fa Zheng's command that he had the opportunity to kill Xiahou Yuan.
Tian Feng produced a tricolor flag—red, blue, and yellow, each representing a different meaning.
He didn't wait for Yuan's army to charge; instead, he initiated the charge himself.
These past few days, he had been absorbing and assimilating the differences between Lu Ming's army and Qin's. The Qin army was well-equipped and disciplined; even if only one soldier died, they wouldn't collapse.
Because even if they died, their families would be protected; if they deserted, their families would suffer. The choice was naturally to fight to the death.
"Woo woo woo..."
The desolate sound of horns echoed; the Qin army had attacked!
Ma Chao, though somewhat surprised, still managed to shake off Yan Liang and quickly returned to his own troops.
Ma Dai had been waiting there for some time. "What are your orders, strategist?"
Ma Dai, also carrying binoculars, was a calm and collected man, well-suited to be a strategist, used to quell Ma Chao's rage.
After observing for a moment through the binoculars, he said, "The Mountain Battalion is moving. We'll wait for them to attack, then strike straight at the enemy's center! Disrupt their formation!"
"Good!"
Ma Chao calmed himself, easing the surge of blood from the previous battle.
Yan Liang truly lived up to his reputation as a general of Hebei. Given more time, he could take him down, though he couldn't guarantee how quickly.
The Mountain Battalion was a completely new infantry battalion, primarily armed with crossbows. And the leader was none other than Gao Shun!
Gao Shun had been captured during the previous rebellion and had been well-fed and cared for in prison ever since.
Until six months later, after being shown around the military camp, Gao Shun requested to surrender.
Lu Ming gave him new soldiers, naming them the Mountain Battalion, specifically for fighting difficult siege battles and positional warfare.
Gao Shun remained silent and unsmiling; he knew that surrender was his only way out.
Gao Shun's achievements and reputation meant that surrendering to Lu Ming was not a disgrace.
And the result was that he took command of the Mountain Battalion, an army of three thousand men, well-equipped and robust.