The sound of the horn echoed, marking the beginning of a fierce battle.
The more wars he experienced, the more Zheng Fan understood Li Fusheng's mindset. Thousands followed you into battle, advancing with your will. The passion forged in blood and fire was truly intoxicating.
It differs from strategic planning and overall management of the royal court,
nor is it like the literary path, where gentle breezes come with wisdom.
It's very direct, very real, very upfront.
Lord Zheng's pre-war mobilization was genuinely invigorating, because the Keyan Division was, after all, newly recruited troops, much like newly adopted pets that one must initially cater to.
When the Snow Sea Army efficiently lined up for the charge, the Naman Tribe just finished organizing their troops and horses.
Though the Naman Tribe had been on the offensive days before, they seemed unprepared facing the sudden attack by the Yan Army. This wasn't due to foolish leadership.
It was because the tribal wartime military system was exceedingly crude, even primitive.
Firstly, the command division wasn't clear; the main general could only manage his own direct subordinates. Other setups were left to a few noblemen nearby, who would command their own subordinates.
It's like subcontracting in future engineering projects, layer by layer; the quality only further deteriorates.
Simultaneously, the operational efficiency was extremely low.
And because the Eldest Prince led 5,000 Naman Tribe warriors for support, the void created was the true backbone. Without it, other noble forces could at least scramble to form semblances, but the cannon fodder troops made up of servant armies and slaves couldn't be mobilized as usual.
Simply put, fighting for the wild people is akin to hunters leading hounds to battle; when the hunter is too weak to control the hounds, he must always worry about being bitten.
If the Eldest Prince were here, or if the Second Prince was the main general, they could, relying on their princely status, directly kill to instill fear. They had the rightful authority to execute.
But the Naman King, wary of his sons leading retaliations and gaining power, chose his brother as the main general. He had the capability but no real influence within the tribe. His survival up till now was due to his low profile keeping him free from the Naman King's suspicion.
Thus, constrained by various factors.
When Lord Zheng led the Keyan Division warriors to charge at high speed, the Naman Tribe merely managed to form a proper lineup.
Had it been in the past, with the troops being the Northern Army or the Jingnan Army, or even his old Shengle veterans, Lord Zheng wouldn't be worried about such opponents.
But because the troops were new barbarians, he had to feel a bit apprehensive.
The overall command rested with Jin Shuke.
This was a direct order from Lord Zheng, which touched Jin Shuke deeply. Last night, he even specifically sought Lord Zheng for advice on battle strategies.
Lord Zheng wasn't stingy, directly analyzing the enemy's situation and summarizing an "instant decisive strike" theme.
In essence, he said nothing concrete, but Jin Shuke felt greatly inspired.
After all, Lord Zheng was a "personally taught" disciple of Lord Jingnan, undefeated in battles. Hervictories often involved winning with fewer troops or surprise raids.
To be clear, Lord Zheng wasn't chickening out; he wanted to ensure stability. The biggest issue was the troop being untrained barbarians, hard to command smoothly. Better to first nail this battle securely.
During the attack,
Jin Shuke's eyes welled with emotion; Lord Zheng's intent to nurture him couldn't be clearer.
At the same time, he reflected on his journey from a tribal slave to today; Lord Zheng's kindness was as vast as the mountains and seas.
Lord Zheng was too occupied to ponder Jin Shuke's feelings. Though not commanding directly, he was internally simulating and planning the battle trajectory step by step.
Regardless of circumstances, there would come a time where he'd lead personally; he couldn't always learn dragon-slaying techniques without applying them.
Fortunately for A Ming, this time, my lord didn't charge ahead but instead observed from a hillside, with Xue Three's men ensuring protection.
These men may not be as effective as regular troops in reckless charges, being unadapted to grand spectacles now, but if situations worsened, they could retreat to the Snow Sea Pass safely.
Instead, Zheng Fan's Pixiu seemed eager to join the battlefield, but its master refused to indulge it, rendering it depressed and constantly clawing the ground with its hooves.
"The front two cavalry wings to stagger; suppress with arrows." Zheng Fan muttered.
Under Jin Shuke's direction, the 4,000 cavalry from Keyan Division didn't slam into the Naman Tribe head-on. The straightforward cavalry clash didn't occur. Instead, they staggered at the wings, flanked wide, and began shooting arrows.
The wild people are a fishing-hunting tribe; mature barbarians in Skybreak Mountain even engage in farming. In terms of survival conditions and hardships, they fare somewhat better than the barbarians.
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