The Demon Lords-Chapter 709 - 149 Great Wind! _2

But now, each division of the Yan Army was assembling and setting off in a strict and orderly manner. This was the so-called strong military posture; its strength lay precisely here.

Ran Min mounted his horse. Led by the colonel in front, the hundred or so horsemen in his unit began to leave the camp.

The friendly troops ahead were already making preparations for the river crossing; straw, wooden planks, and even chains had all been prepared in advance. After all, with such a long pause and the war not yet fully underway, it was impossible for everyone to have truly done nothing.

The river crossing point faced Jade Plate City directly, the same place where the Eldest Prince, commanding the central army, had crossed during the last battle at the Wang River.

The Chu people on the opposite bank should have detected the unusual activity here, but they did not send troops to hinder the Yan Army's river crossing. The frozen river surface greatly reduced the difficulty of the river crossing for the Yan Army. Furthermore, it was nighttime; if the Chu were to send a large army to block the bank, it would be easy for Yan Army units crossing from other points upstream or downstream to encircle them.

Of course, the most important reason was that the Chu people had already transformed Jade Plate City into an incredibly strong fortress-city. They were thoroughly prepared for the Yan people to come and attack. If you want to come, then come! Let's see if it pains your hearts to watch your Yan State Iron Cavalry dismount and swarm the walls like ants!

Due to the absence of Chu interference, the river crossing went smoothly. After the vanguard forces crossed, Ran Min's unit also quickly began to follow.

To prevent accidents, everyone dismounted and led their horses across the ice. The horses' hooves were wrapped in rags, and with materials already spread on the ice, slipping could be largely avoided. Moreover, secured chains could minimize casualties should the ice layer unexpectedly break.

After Ran Min crossed the river, his unit was dispatched to a position upstream of Jade Plate City and began to form up.

Ran Min carried the banner meticulously. Although he knew that scout cavalry had surely been deployed much earlier in the outer perimeter, he still scanned his surroundings with extreme vigilance. He had once worked for a caravan, a life that counted as experience in the 'street.' He had thought he understood how deep and treacherous the 'street' could be, constantly on guard against ambushes on their cargo. But it wasn't until he truly stepped onto a battlefield that he realized that no matter how enigmatic and perilous the 'street' was, it could never replicate such an oppressive and solemn atmosphere.

Messengers constantly galloped through the army formations, relaying new orders from the senior commanders. Consequently, Ran Min's unit adjusted its position several times.

On the walls of Jade Plate City ahead, torches blazed densely. Clearly, the Chu people would not be sleeping tonight either.

Ran Min noticed laborers and auxiliary soldiers constructing a temporary encampment behind him. And ahead of him, several army units, each numbering around five thousand men, galloped past.

Having learned from the Left Army's previous failure, the first thing the Yan Army did after crossing the river this time was not to attack Jade Plate City, but to expand the battlefield. They wouldn't mind even if it meant enveloping Jade Plate City itself.

Sufficient battlefield space was crucial for the predominantly cavalry-based Yan Army. Cavalry unable to maneuver freely were even less mobile and flexible than infantry.

The darkness not only made it difficult for the enemy to quickly grasp the situation, but even Ran Min, amidst the vast army, wasn't entirely sure how many troops had crossed the river this time. He estimated that by now, no fewer than fifty thousand soldiers had crossed, and the main army was still crossing the river, an unceasing flow.

As a standard-bearer, Ran Min wasn't qualified to receive orders directly from his superiors, but he understood that Lord Jingnan either didn't strike at all, or, when he did, it would be a major engagement.

Ran Min's unit was part of a screening formation, intended to guard against sudden sallies by the Chu people from the city or surprise attacks by the wild people from outside. These troops had to be constantly ready to counterattack and provide cover for the forces to their rear.

Just as day began to dawn, new orders were issued. Ran Min's unit and the other surrounding screening forces started to withdraw, falling back to the north side of the encampment but not entering it.

Those responsible for the warhorses tended to them, while others ate breakfast. There was no time to set up cookstoves and prepare a hot meal; everyone had pre-prepared dry rations, supplemented with a piece of wind-dried cured meat per man. This wasn't a luxury. Before a real battle, soldiers had to eat meat. Firstly, meat staved off hunger effectively. Secondly, anyone who had done hard labor knew that without some fat and salt in the belly, one lacked the strength to work. However, although they didn't cook full meals, they did boil water and add a little salt to it.

Ran Min ate quickly, then noticed his fellow soldiers eating very slowly. When these men ate, they didn't sit casually on the ground; instead, they knelt formally, keeping their upper bodies erect. Although follow-up troops had taken over their previous screening positions at the front, everyone remained prepared to swiftly rise, mount their horses, and engage the enemy at the slightest sign of trouble.

Gradually, siege towers and arrow towers were also pushed across the river. The sight of these massive structures gave everyone an extraordinarily reassuring feeling. These siege engines had also been constructed during this period. Since the battlefield was just across the river, it was convenient to build them in advance and simply push them over—very practical indeed. For a long-distance campaign to besiege a city, these implements would naturally have to be newly constructed on site.

The Yan people were not adept at siege warfare, but, as the saying goes, even if you haven't eaten pork, you've seen a pig run. They generally knew what was required for a siege.

Throughout this period, Cheng State's existing bureaucratic system had been mobilized for these tasks: conscripting laborers and experienced artisans to provide logistical and material support for the army.