Chapter 42: The Counterattack Begins (Part I)

Zhang He asked Deng Chaozuo indignantly, "As soldiers, if we cannot save the common people, what face do we have to stand between heaven and earth?"

Deng Chaozuo was displeased, but out of concern that Zhang He was one of Luo Ang's subordinates, he found it difficult to retort.

Luo Ang issued an order: "Pass the command down: fell trees immediately and build pontoon bridges!"

Deng Chaozuo and the others were shocked upon hearing this and began to remonstrate.

Luo Ang raised his right hand and said firmly, "For us soldiers, there are some things we cannot do, and some things we must do! My mind is made up; say no more!"

The men had no choice but to acknowledge the order and went off to convey it.

Then, the twenty thousand troops set to work.

About an hour later, Luo Ang noticed a cloud of dust appearing on the northern horizon and his brow furrowed.

Cheng Lian, who was nearby, cried out, "This is bad! It must be the enemy's cavalry catching up!"

Luo Ang immediately shouted, "Zhongkang, take one thousand cavalry and cross the Yellow River with me!"

Xu Chu responded loudly.

Zhang He and Cheng Lian hurriedly clasped their hands and said, "My Lord, let us go instead!"

Luo Ang shook his head, patted their shoulders, and said, "Stay here and take charge of the situation for me!"

With that, he announced loudly, "In my absence, Cheng Lian and Zhang He will command in my stead. Their orders are my orders. Anyone who dares to disobey will be dealt with by military law!"

Although the men were somewhat dissatisfied, they dared not defy the order and bowed in acknowledgement.

Luo Ang unbuckled his own sword, handed it to Zhang He, and exhorted, "Zhang He, I entrust my sword to you. You and Cheng Lian may act decisively should the need arise."

Seeing such trust from Luo Ang, Cheng Lian and Zhang He were deeply moved.

Luo Ang looked at Dong Yuan and said, "Yuanyuan, you stay behind to assist Cheng Lian and Zhang He!"

Dong Yuan said with concern, "But..."

Luo Ang said, "You are my wife; I do not want you to suffer even the slightest harm."

Dong Yuan nodded and said, "I understand. Husband, you must return safely!"

Luo Ang nodded, took a long spear from one of his personal guards, and led Dian Wei and one thousand cavalry down the hillside. They boarded the completed rafts and crossed the Yellow River to the northern bank.

The over one hundred thousand commoners gathered on the riverbank had been in a state of panic, but upon seeing an army crossing the river, their anxiety immediately subsided, and they rushed forward to seek help from Luo Ang.

Luo Ang declared loudly, "Everyone, do not be afraid! Our army is here to save you! Follow the directions of my subordinates and cross the river in an orderly fashion!"

The crowd was overcome with gratitude and bowed in thanks.

Luo Ang left one hundred officers and soldiers to maintain order and guide the people across, while he led the remaining nine hundred cavalry through the massive throng to form a defensive line behind them.

This act deeply moved the people, and their previously terrified and helpless hearts found a sense of security.

An old man, fleeing in haste with his two young grandsons, felt the barbarian cavalry drawing ever closer and believed that his life and the lives of his grandsons were at an end.

At that moment, the sight of the Han army appeared in their field of vision.

Seeing this, the old man felt a glimmer of hope. Exhausted as he was, he found inexplicable strength, picked up his two grandsons, and sprinted forward.

The people rushed past Luo Ang and his men to flee toward the riverbank.

As the old man carrying his grandsons reached a spot not far in front of Luo Ang, he stumbled and fell to the ground.

Seeing this, Luo Ang handed his spear to a guard, jumped off his horse, ran to the old man, helped him up, and even picked up the smallest child, asking, "Little one, are you hurt from the fall?"

The child stared at Luo Ang with wide eyes, looking a bit frightened, and shook his head: "It doesn't hurt!"

Luo Ang smiled and patted the child's head.

The old man hurriedly bowed and said, "This commoner did not mean to bump into the General. Please, please forgive me, General!"

Luo Ang laughed, "What talk of guilt is there?"

Seeing the barbarian cavalry drawing closer, he said to the old man, "Hurry on your way!"

The old man acknowledged, thanked Luo Ang, and led his two grandsons by the hand past the army formation toward the riverbank. He subconsciously glanced back at Luo Ang's retreating figure, feeling that this general was different from other officials.

Luo Ang returned to his horse, mounted it, took the spear from his guard, and looked toward the enemy. He saw the several thousand barbarian cavalry sweeping in like a gale, paying no heed to his force of less than a thousand.

The people gathered at the riverbank began to panic again as they saw the barbarian cavalry closing in, and the once-orderly river crossing descended into chaos.

Many, desperate to escape across the river, ignored the guards' warnings and broke through their lines, scrambling and crawling onto the rafts.

Because too many people boarded at once, two of the rafts suddenly capsized, sending countless people into the water, with some even being swept downstream.

Luo Ang stared at the approaching barbarian cavalry and shouted to Xu Chu, "Zhongkang, take fifty men and charge them for me first!"

Xu Chu responded loudly and immediately led fifty cavalry out to meet the enemy's thousands.

A horn sounded from within the barbarian cavalry.

Suddenly, the thousands of horsemen let out a bloodthirsty cry and swept toward Xu Chu and his men.

In the blink of an eye, the two sides collided.

Xu Chu led his fifty cavalry in a fierce charge into the enemy ranks.

Wielding his great blade, Xu Chu left the barbarian soldiers in a bloody spray.

The fifty cavalrymen also fought valiantly, following closely behind Xu Chu, sweeping the barbarian riders from their saddles.

The barbarian cavalry, not expecting such ferocity from their opponents, were shocked, but their ferocity was also stirred. They roared repeatedly and continued to surround and attack.

The thousands of men and horses seemed to turn into a giant vortex, trapping Xu Chu and his fifty men, roaring and swirling as they tried to bury them in one fell swoop.

The thousands of barbarian cavalry surrounded Xu Chu and his men, engaging them in a fierce battle.

Xu Chu led his fifty cavalry in wild charges, striking ten times and deciding the outcome ten times, leaving the ground littered with the corpses of their opponents.

The leading barbarian general was furious and alarmed, constantly urging his cavalry to surround and slaughter them.

However, most of his men had already been killed by Xu Chu's fifty cavalrymen.

Seeing that his forces were being decimated, the barbarian general was consumed with rage and hurriedly ordered hundreds of cavalry who had not yet joined the fray to shoot their opponents.

The hundreds of cavalry immediately drew their bows, aiming at Xu Chu, who was moving through the crowd as if in a deserted land.

The barbarian general raised his long spear, preparing to give the order to fire.

At that moment, a whistling wind came from the side.

Before the barbarian general could react, countless javelins rained down, sending the cavalry around him tumbling from their mounts.

The barbarian general was shocked. He hurriedly looked to the side and saw that the nearly one thousand Han cavalry, who had remained motionless until now, had already launched their attack and were charging toward them. He hurriedly ordered a portion of his troops to deal with that Han cavalry unit.

Thus, nearly a thousand barbarian cavalrymen hurriedly reined in their horses, howling as they charged toward Luo Ang and his men.