Free Web NovelChapter 1104: Chapter 797: Free-for-All! (Part 2)
Although the soldiers of the Dasheng Dynasty were few in number and hastily disembarked, their opponents seemed even more terrified and fragile. They didn’t even form any military formation, allowing the Dasheng soldiers to scatter them completely with just one charge. Seeing the carnage on the river, the Dasheng soldiers naturally refused to lag behind, swinging their swords and blades aggressively at the opponents. Instantly, the riverside gleamed with the clash of weapons, and a mist of blood quickly blinded their eyes.
This was supposed to be an overwhelming victory!
But Yu Wenquan looked on and felt increasingly uneasy.
Not to mention the ships coming from upstream were too far away. With the rolling waves, aside from distant roars and screams, he couldn’t discern what was being shouted, only seeing volleys of arrows raining down. Finally, the desperate counterattack from the opponent was triggered. Those panicked soldiers immediately grabbed their bows and arrows, pulled the strings, and fired back at Yu Dingxing’s ship. Quite a few stray arrows even shot towards the riverbank, but fortunately, they were too far away, causing the arrows to fall sporadically, only startling Eunuch Yu and his companions but not influencing Yu Wenquan himself.
However, across the river, something seemed amiss.
When those people charged out just now, Yu Wenquan noticed how undisciplined they were. Regardless of whether they were Jiang Chong’en’s troops from Luoyang or Fan Cheng’en’s troops who surrendered from Song State, any subdued generals must restrain their men, preventing any misconduct to avoid panic and slaughter.
If they were deliberately waiting on the other side to assassinate him, it didn’t make sense—he hadn’t boarded any ship to cross the river yet. Wouldn’t they be exposing themselves by attacking now?
Besides, if their intention was truly assassination, those people should have formed a military formation. But seeing them running chaotically, it didn’t resemble a soldier’s charge but rather, rather—
Like a defeated army!
Defeated?!
At this thought, Yu Wenquan suddenly sensed something. He widened his eyes and shouted, "Stop!"
However, even though his voice was deep and resonant, capable of intimidating numerous hearts in the court, facing the sweeping arrays of arrow showers above the river and earth-shaking battle cries at the riverbank, such a sound couldn’t stir a single ripple.
Fortunately, those around him heard this. Yu Wenqian immediately turned back, "Father?"
Yu Wenquan’s face had changed. He shouted, "Tell Yu Dingxing to stop!"
Upon hearing this, Yu Mingyue, who was standing by, furrowed her brows. Instinctively, she wanted to speak, but as soon as she opened her mouth, she held herself back—after all, this was a battle. Even though she could follow the Imperial Carriage here as Duke Wushan’s daughter this time, she had no space to speak once fighting commenced. If she said something wrong again, Yu Wenquan would only despise her more!
But what was going on?
At this moment, both sides were locked in fierce battle. Even if the final victory hadn’t been determined, Yu Wenquan, as an old general who once commanded the battlefield, should understand that sounding the gong for retreat wouldn’t help the battle, but might instead provoke the opponent’s counterattack.
This wasn’t something Yu Wenquan would do.
Yet everything that happened today felt odd. The people she arranged had died on this riverside; Yu Dingxing’s ship had an unexpected encounter with people from the opposite side before docking. In the chaos, Yu Mingyue couldn’t distinguish whether they were Fan Cheng’en’s troops or Jiang Chong’en’s troops. Now Yu Wenquan wanted a mid-battle retreat?
Thinking of this, she bit her lip and glanced at Yu Wenqian beside her.
Sure enough, Yu Wenqian also showed a surprised expression at this moment, seemingly noticing something wrong with the battle ahead. Upon hearing Yu Wenquan’s words, he immediately said, "Father?"
Yu Wenquan shouted sternly, "Sound the gong, retreat!"
As his powerful voice rang out, a more piercing scream suddenly echoed from the direction of the river. But instead of coming from the ships across the river, it came from the very ship commanded by Yu Dingxing. Originally standing at the bow directing the battle, Yu Dingxing suddenly stiffened, then staggered backward several steps, on the verge of toppling over!
