Chapter 19: The Blade Cleaves the Bright Moon Ring

"A man who seeks to be valiant needs no great company; as a harrier flies through the sky, a flock of sparrows scatters in the wind."

Kou Qianzhi was well past his prime, possessing a broad forehead and a square jaw. With thick brows and piercing eyes, a prominent nose and a regal countenance, his spirit surged like the vast heavens—he was, in every sense, a born commander.

Galloping at full speed, he sang at the top of his lungs. The melody was the "Song of Qiyu," a folk tune from the Northern Dynasties, delivered with a rugged, majestic power that carried the wild, heroic spirit of the sweeping desert winds.

The song was perfectly apt. The Twenty-Eight Nebula Cavalry had just cut through an army of ten thousand rebels in a single charge, withdrawing unscathed. How was this any different from a harrier scattering a flock of sparrows?

As the soldiers of Huang Chao’s army listened, they were filled with shame and resentment, yet they found no retort.

Within the ranks of the Taining Army, the sound of an iron flute rose, clear and resonant like a dragon’s cry from the deep sea. It spiraled nine times through the clouds, growing ever more piercing until it seemed capable of shattering metal and stone. The melody was "Plum Blossoms Falling," one of the twenty-eight tunes of the Han Dynasty.

Spurred by the music, the "Moon in the Well" saber at Kou Qianzhi’s waist erupted with a blinding brilliance, bright as the moon itself. It was truly a scene where "the flute plays the plum blossom melody, and the blade reveals the lunar ring."

This "Moon in the Well" was not the legendary weapon once wielded by his ancestor, Kou Zhong, but a replica Kou Qianzhi had commissioned from a master craftsman. Though a copy, its power was in no way inferior to the original.

Ordinarily, the blade remained dull and lusterless, appearing unremarkable at first glance, devoid of any ornate decoration. Yet, a closer look revealed an archaic, rustic quality that commanded respect. When wielded by a master at full strength, the blade’s essence would burst forth, dazzling and hypnotic.

"Taining warriors, follow me! Wherever our horses tread, we shall crush the eight wildernesses!"

Kou Qianzhi’s voice boomed as he blew his blue ox-horn, signaling not only the Twenty-Eight Nebula Cavalry but the entire Taining host to prepare for another assault.

"Victory to the Commander! Victory to the Vice Commander! Exterminate the grass-thieves and restore the glory of the Great Tang!" The Taining soldiers roared in response.

The sound of one man is as faint as a gnat, but ten men create a clamor, a hundred a deafening roar, and thousands a thunderous upheaval. With the snow-clad army shouting in unison, a spirit of "a million hearts as one" took hold, morale soaring as every man prepared to bathe in blood and swallow the enemy whole.

Huang Chao, however, maintained strict discipline. Having been caught off guard by Kou Qianzhi’s charge from the high plateau, he had suffered significant losses. Once the Twenty-Eight Nebula Cavalry had cleared the formation, he stood upon his war chariot, blade in hand, and issued orders to reorganize.

"The Great Standard commands: shield-bearers, prepare!"

Huang Chao’s central banner fluttered in the wind, relaying the order. In an instant, the front line shifted to the rear and the rear to the front, pivoting to face the Taining Army. Not only in the front, but on the flanks, shield-bearers locked their pentagonal shields into a wall, protecting the soldiers behind with impenetrable precision.

***

The shield-bearers held short weapons in their left hands, their primary task being to protect the spearmen behind them. Because the forest terrain was ill-suited for chariots, Huang Chao had left his usual chariot force behind, relying instead on his infantry shield walls to stall the enemy cavalry.

Even for the brave Twenty-Eight Nebula Cavalry, charging directly into a wall of interlocking shields bristling with cold, lethal spears was no easy feat.

Yet, at Kou Qianzhi’s command, the twenty-eight elite riders instantly split, racing toward the flanks of the Taining Army. The rest of the cavalry followed suit; though few in number, Kou Qianzhi’s presence ignited their spirits, and they fought with reckless abandon, casting aside all thoughts of life or death.

"You little pups of Huang Chao’s army, taste the bite of my serpent spear!"

Tian Jun, the "Azure Dragon" leading the left flank, let out a bold, hearty shout. Her spear danced in the sunlight like a golden serpent, and wherever she passed, the rebel soldiers fell like mown grass.

"Black Tortoise" Gao Siji, astride a white horse with a silver spear, commanded the right wing. His face was rigid and cold, his silence reminiscent of the early Tang hero Luo Cheng, the "Cold-Faced Frost Spear." His strikes, however, were even more ruthless than the Azure Dragon’s, targeting only the throat, eyes, and other vulnerable points with lethal speed.

The "White Tiger" and "Vermilion Bird" specialized in long-range combat, providing cover from the rear.

Kou Qianzhi charged once more, plunging straight toward the enemy formation. Just as he and his horse seemed destined to crash into the forest of spears, he pulled the reins and dug his heels into his horse’s flanks. The purple steed halted instantly.

Kou Qianzhi drew his bow and loosed an arrow. The shield-bearers in his path scrambled to raise their shields, but the arrow was a high-arching shot that seemed to have eyes of its own. It slipped past the edge of the shield, its immense force piercing through the armor, punching a gaping hole in the neck of the first soldier before continuing on to impale a spearman hiding behind him, pinning the two together like a pair of gourds.

As the poet Du Fu wrote: "When drawing a bow, draw the strongest; when using an arrow, use the longest."

Using a long Tang bow and heavy armor-piercing arrows, combined with his technique of shooting for the face from ten paces, Kou Qianzhi treated the enemy’s plate armor as if it were nothing, killing two men with a single shot.

The Twenty-Eight Nebula Cavalry, all masters of mounted archery, followed suit, each finding their marks. Any counter-volleys from Huang Chao’s crossbowmen were either knocked aside by the riders' blades or deflected by their armor, causing them no harm.

While the rest of the Taining cavalry were less skilled in archery and dared not approach, their harassment from a distance added to the pressure, further demoralizing the already exhausted rebel troops.

Though Kou Qianzhi’s charge claimed few lives, the sheer audacity of these twenty-eight riders—flaunting their prowess before the enemy—was a profound insult to the rebel army.

War is a matter of courage. Huang Chao’s force relied heavily on infantry; should their morale break while caught in the open field, the consequences would be dire. Yet, in the center, Huang Chao was pinned down by the Taining main force under Qi Keyang, leaving him unable to lead a counter-charge against Kou Qianzhi.

***

Huang Chao’s expression turned solemn as he looked toward Zhu Wen and Meng Kai.

"Kou Qianzhi is a legendary commander. The Twenty-Eight Nebula Cavalry are one-in-a-hundred; our own cavalry cannot compare."

"But since we are here to fight, there is no escape. Liangyu, Juehai—go forth with my expectations. Do not let the spirit of our grass-roots men be shamed!"

Zhu Wen, who had been watching the charge of the Nebula Cavalry with intense focus, snapped to attention at the command. The movements of these riders carried the scent of the desert winds.

Zhu Wen felt as if the rhythmic thud of their hooves brought the desolate, northern gale of the Gobi desert straight to his face. Under Kou Qianzhi’s command, they moved with perfect synchronization, yet they clearly possessed the untamed, freedom-loving hearts of true knights.

As a former wanderer himself, he could not help but envy that spirit of freedom. He wondered what power Kou Qianzhi possessed to draw such free-spirited warriors to his banner, willing to bleed and die for him.

Regardless, in this magnificent world, the new things he witnessed would make it impossible for Zhu Wen to act with only six-tenths of his strength as he had before. If he did not give his all, he would not survive the slaughter of this chaotic age.

So, let there be a glorious fight.

Against these new, intriguing opponents.