"What brilliant plan does the Commander have?" Zhou Yuan asked, eyes lighting up.
"County Magistrate, is there any kerosene in the city?" Zhang Xin replied.
"Yes—yes, there is!" Zhou Yuan nodded repeatedly.
"Then please gather some men and bring it here."
"At once!"
Zhou Yuan hurried off.
Zuo Bao stepped forward, frowning. "General, how do you intend to defeat the enemy?"
Zhang Xin glanced at the captured Wuhuan warhorses, a faint smile forming.
"Fire Horse Formation."
"Fire… horse formation?" Zuo Bao was puzzled.
Zhang Xin quickly explained, then assigned tasks.
"You will lead the infantry out of the city and head north," Zhang Xin said. "When the Wuhuan see you, they'll surround you. Form a defensive line and hold them there."
"And you, General?"
"I'll take the cavalry west through Anle and strike Nanlou's central force directly."
—
Nanlou's deployment was clever.
His army stretched from northwest to southeast, with both flanks spread wide. It created pressure without fully committing—baiting Zhang Xin to leave the city.
If Zhang Xin stayed, Nanlou could simply crush Zhang Niujiao first.
But in doing so, Nanlou left his center exposed from the southwest.
Zhang Xin intended to exploit exactly that.
—
Soon, Zhou Yuan returned with all the kerosene available.
Zhang Xin selected one hundred captured warhorses, giving the rest to Zuo Bao to disguise infantry as cavalry.
The city gates opened.
Zuo Bao marched out first, forming ranks and advancing north.
"General… why send troops out?" Zhou Yuan asked nervously.
Zhang Xin gave a brief explanation, then turned away.
Not long after, scouts reported contact with the enemy.
"Move out!"
Zhang Xin led his cavalry south, carrying oil, hay, and cloth strips. After several li, they turned west toward Anle, then followed the river north.
Five li from Nanlou's army, Zhang Xin halted.
"Prepare!"
Dry grass was tied to the horses' tails. Cloth was wrapped over their eyes. Oil was poured across their bodies.
Torches were lit.
Then they charged.
—
Nanlou received word of an approaching cavalry force from the southwest and immediately dispatched riders to intercept.
"What are they doing… carrying torches in daylight?" the Wuhuan cavalry murmured in confusion.
They soon found out.
At Zhang Xin's command, torches were thrust onto the oil-soaked warhorses.
In an instant—
Flames erupted.
The blinded, burning horses shrieked in agony and bolted forward like demons unleashed.
The distance between the two forces had already closed to mere hundreds of paces.
"Move! Get out of the way!"
Too late.
The fire horses smashed straight into the Wuhuan cavalry. Horses collided, riders were thrown, formations shattered instantly.
"Charge!" Zhang Xin roared, spear raised. "Straight for Nanlou's banner!"
"Kill!"
The Yellow Turban cavalry surged forward behind him.
Zhang Xin took the lead, cutting through the chaos. He ignored enemies on either side and drove directly toward the command banner.
—
Nanlou saw the flames, the chaos, and Zhang Xin charging straight at him.
"Retreat!" he shouted, turning his horse.
The moment he fled, the great banner shifted.
"Nanlou has been defeated!" Zhang Xin shouted.
The cry spread among his riders.
The Wuhuan troops besieging Zhang Niujiao heard it and turned in alarm.
"Go back! Save the King!"
Their formation broke as they rushed to retreat.
—
Zhang Niujiao stared in confusion. "What's happening?"
"It's the Commander!" Yang Yi shouted, standing in his stirrups. "He's attacking Nanlou!"
"How many men does he have?"
"Four hundred!"
Zhang Niujiao's face changed instantly. "Not good!"
He turned and roared:
"The Commander is in danger! Advance! We must support him!"
The infantry surged forward.
—
The battlefield descended into chaos.
Nanlou fled ahead.
Zhang Xin pursued.
Behind them, over two thousand Wuhuan cavalry gave chase.
Further back, Zhang Niujiao's infantry raced to catch up.
"Faster!" Zhang Xin urged his horse.
Nanlou was heading toward Yuyang. If he reached reinforcements, everything would be lost.
Ten li…
Three hundred paces… two hundred…
Zhang Xin's warhorse snorted, white vapor bursting from its nostrils.
"We must catch him!"
"Stop him!" Nanlou shouted.
More than twenty Wuhuan riders wheeled around to intercept.
"Anyone who blocks me—dies!"
Zhang Xin thrust his spear, striking one rider cleanly from his horse. He twisted aside, narrowly avoiding a slashing blade—
—but another came in from the side.
He couldn't dodge.
Slash—
Blood sprayed into the air.