The next day, at noon.

The sun was scorching, its rays baking the vast expanse of the hundred-mile prairie. Unlike the frigid days of winter, this land was now filled with warmth and a gentle heat.

But at this moment, within the military encampment stationed at Bai Li Yuan, a pre-war solemnity permeated the air.

The reason is none other than the scouts have brought the most urgent news.

The rebel army from Beiliang, advancing with the force of a thunderbolt from the northern border, has already entered the vision of the outpost!

Although the battlefield where they would soon clash was still some distance away, the soldiers in the camp seemed to already hear the neighing of warhorses and battle cries coming from the rebel forces in the distance.

Admittedly, this might be wishful thinking, but there is no doubt that we must face this formidable army head-on.

At the forefront of the great army, Xiong Qian in his full military regalia rode a tall steed. He held a long spear in his hand, and his usually rugged face was now solemn.

The scout's report brought news that, besides the rebels marching towards this place, it also offered a rough estimate of their troop strength.

"General, the rebel army is massive. Just from what we can see in front, there are over 100,000 soldiers. And behind them, there's still a vast number of troops. This force seems to exceed our expectations."

This is what the scout said.

I originally thought that after the battle on Mount Yan, even though the rebels won a decisive victory, they would still have suffered some losses.

But judging from the intelligence gathered so far, it's clear that they appeared in Bai Li Yuan with this force. This means they had a large number of troops from the beginning.

Xiong Qian knew very well that even though he had hundreds of thousands of troops at his disposal, facing this unexpectedly large rebel army meant a prolonged war.

But fortunately, the main force in his hands were heavily armored cavalry, and this hundred-li plain was the most suitable battlefield for them to launch a charge!

He raised his head and glanced at the bright blue sky, knowing in his heart that today he had everything in his favor.

Therefore, there is absolutely no chance of losing this battle!

In front of them, the army had assembled and was divided into several columns.

In the middle, a torrent of iron was formed by heavily armored cavalry. The warhorses and soldiers in full armor exuded an aura of killing intent.

The sharp spear points gleamed menacingly, and the burning desire for battle in the soldiers' eyes announced their eagerness to charge into combat.

Standing beside the raised flag, Xiong Qian swept his gaze across the army, his expression grave. Then, he raised his arm and shouted:

"The Saint has issued an order, commanding us to slay the rebel army here!"

"Exterminating the rebels is a feat of unparalleled merit!"

The rebel leader Qin Ze must be eliminated in this battle! If any of you can kill this traitor, you will be awarded with honors, promotions, silver, and land. In the future, His Majesty will surely appoint you as a general!

When it got to this point, the soldiers' eyes burned with even greater fervor.

This fearsome warlord, the King of the North, now a traitorous rebel, who wouldn't want his head?

If one were to remove his head, he would be the lowest of soldiers, but he could also transform into a general.

Looking at the excited expressions on everyone's faces, Xiong Qian nodded in satisfaction and then said:

The rebel forces may be numerous, but even so, under our charge, they will crumble like eggshells.

For this, in the next battle, you are not allowed to retreat even half a step!

Our cavalry force is still primarily composed of heavily armored cavalry, prepared to advance and charge.

All the glory and riches of heaven are at stake in this battle. Take what you desire!

"Kill!"

With a loud shout, the horn sounded, and the thunder of hooves followed.

The sun blazed fiercely, and a strong wind whipped up dust and grass stirred by the horses' hooves, leaving behind only deep and shallow hoof prints on the ravaged earth.

Although the rebels had not yet arrived, Xiong Qian was eager to go into battle.

Now that their forces were at their strongest, they had stayed on this plain for too long. Everyone’s heart was filled with the desire to go into battle and fight the enemy.

And the cavalry, too, needed a certain distance to charge in order to strike with overwhelming force.

And since the scouts had previously reported that many of the rebel troops were infantry, attacking them with cavalry would be a sure victory!

In all the battles throughout the history of the Great Han Dynasty, whether internal or external conflicts, there has never been a case where cavalry was defeated by infantry.

This army, with heavily armored cavalry as its main force, is absolutely impossible to lose!

Even if the rebel forces were larger in number, it would only take more time to kill them.

Thinking of this, Xiong Qian's eyes became even hotter, and his hand holding the gun heated up as well.

On the other side of the battlefield.

Qin Ze's large army was also advancing, but their speed was not too fast.

At the forefront of the large army were formations composed of infantry. These soldiers marched at the front, serving not only as a decoy but also to swiftly engage in the main battle upon its commencement.

Under their protection, the main force consisted of carts pulled by warhorses, each carrying a bed crossbow. As for ballistae, Qin Ze had not delivered on his promise. Besides being heavier and slower to move, finding suitable large stones on this plain proved difficult.

With all this preparation, the battle would have been over.

Delaying too long will also allow the court to prepare for defense. If they just flee now, subsequent battles will drag on even longer.

While cavalry is more mobile, they can cut in from the flanks once battle commences.

At this moment, all those who were marching heard a sound coming from ahead. Qin Ze's cold eyes looked forward, and a black line appeared from the horizon.

"Humph, in a hurry?"

Since the enemy has already arrived, Qin Ze felt even better.

Then, he shouted: "Prepare to meet the enemy!"

"Scatter! Fire the crossbow, break their ranks, and then charge in!"

At the order, the front-most blade masters moved.

Among the swordsmen, three stood out in particular.

The first was Dian Wei, wielding his double-halberds. He specifically requested to fight Qin Ze in this battle, treating him as an ordinary infantryman and sending him as the vanguard. He wanted to test the mettle of these heavy cavalry firsthand!

The second was Lü Bu, astride his red rabbit steed. As the only mounted warrior, he paid no heed to whether he faced infantry or heavily armored cavalry; a single sweep of his halberd was all it took.

The other person was none other than Li Siye, the former general who commanded the Mo Dao team!

This morning, at the time of departure for battle, he said;

"My great sword, it thirsts for battle!"

——

"General, the rebel army is slowing down!"

"Could they be waiting for us to charge in? Or have they set some kind of trap on the plain, like pitfalls or obstacles?"

Deputy general Shi Yanru frowned, looking at Xiong Qian beside him.

"Humph, they couldn't possibly have set these traps in time!"

"Bai Li Yuan, is the battlefield I command! Iron cavalry charging forward, sweeping across, not a blade of grass remains!"

Facing the rebel army ahead, Xiong Qian only felt the blood boiling in his veins.

"Run them over!" He brandished his spear, his face red with fury as he issued the charge to his army!

(Editor in charge：carrie novel)