About two li outside Canyon Pass.
Wu Pingnan, commander of the imperial vanguard, stared beyond the green hills, his pupils contracting sharply. Four thousand enemy cavalry came galloping out, dust billowing behind them like two straight lines of beacon smoke, charging directly toward his cavalry formation.
How did that saying go? One move from an expert was enough to show their skill.
From horseback, Wu Pingnan needed only one glance at the enemy cavalry's charge to know he had met a formidable opponent.
The ancients always emphasized morale in warfare.
But what was morale?
When two armies faced off, whether a force feared battle and whether it possessed the resolve to repel the enemy could be gauged from its movements before the two sides ever met.
The four thousand cavalry charging out of the green hills rode in tight, cohesive formations along straight lines, like long dragons bearing the overwhelming force of thunder.
"Neigh!"
Within the formation, a dozen or so nearby battle-hardened horses began pawing restlessly, snorting and neighing in agitation.
On horseback, Wu Pingnan wore a stern expression. Gripping his spear in his right hand, he shouted, "Don't let them join forces! Split into two formations and meet the enemy!"
"Hyah!"
"Meet the enemy!"
"Kill! Kill them!"
Shouts rang out as six thousand cavalry split into two columns and began galloping toward the enemy.
Cavalry had no business waiting in place for an enemy charge. They had to get moving to generate that terrifying impact.
Ten thousand horsemen charged at one another, shaking the earth.
With only two or three li between them, the two sides collided in the blink of an eye.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Dull impacts sounded in succession. The armies crashed together, knocking down scores of horses, and the bloody slaughter began.
The veteran Zhang