Chapter 132: Is Morality Truly Such an Inconvenient Thing? (1 / 2)

Xu Yanmiao thought for a moment and said, “Your Majesty, explaining it verbally may not be very clear. Could I direct a unit of infantry and have them face an attack from a cavalry unit?”

The Da Xia Dynasty had the means to produce barbed wire. After all, their military was equipped with steel chainmail.

Soon enough, the Ministry of Works delivered the barbed wire Xu Yanmiao had requested— portable concertina barbed wire.

As the name suggests, this was a coiled wire that resembled both a snake’s belly and a cylinder. It didn’t require stakes for installation, making it highly mobile.

The old emperor walked over and inspected it with raised eyebrows. “There are hooks and spikes, too?”

Xu Yanmiao nodded.

The old emperor hesitated, as if wanting to say something.

Xu Yanmiao inquired politely, “Your Majesty, is something the matter?”

The emperor tried to tactfully explain to this military novice, “Cavalry aren’t like rabbits that run into trees. When they see barbed wire from a distance, they’ll avoid it or go around.”

Even if the hooks and spikes could scrape off someone’s skin, it would only work if the opponent got close.

Xu Yanmiao replied politely, “You’re absolutely right, Your Majesty.”

[It’s like the French Maginot Line, isn’t it? Indeed, despite being hailed as the ‘impenetrable Maginot Line,’ the Germans bypassed it during the war. Ironically, it was the French who became complacent due to the line’s extensive coverage, leaving them vulnerable.]

[Fortunately, this is just barbed wire—it doesn’t look like an impenetrable fortress. No army would become so dependent on it as to neglect their defenses entirely.]

The officials of Da Xia: “?”

Wait—you already know it can be bypassed?

This only piqued their curiosity further.

If Xu Yanmiao understood this, why did he still pin his hopes on the hooks and spikes of the barbed wire?

Xu Yanmiao suggested, “Your Majesty, this area is too small for the cavalry to maneuver. How about we move to the outskirts?”

The emperor agreed, nodding. “Very well.”

The Mongol delegation also came along, and the emperor tacitly allowed them to observe from the sidelines.

When the cavalry began their charge, the leaves of nearby trees trembled slightly. From a distance, the sound of thunder grew louder and closer. Da Xia’s cavalry, a black torrent, surged forward like a raging flood.

The Mongol delegation was struck with fear.

Among them, the individual who had previously challenged the Ministry of Rites officials to archery and horsemanship contests was especially shaken. Feeling the vibrations in the ground and the wind and sand stirred up by the advancing cavalry, he became so overwhelmed with embarrassment that he didn’t know how to react.

“So this is…”

So this is the true cavalry of Da Xia, with such remarkable riding skills!

After his earlier wild behavior, he’d been reprimanded by his peers in the delegation. While he’d promised not to stir up trouble again, he still held contempt for Da Xia’s archery and horsemanship. Though there had been no demonstration of archery today, seeing their mastery of riding alone… he suddenly realized that those who had humored him in contests earlier might not have been Da Xia’s best riders at all.

He had been narrow-minded, like a frog at the bottom of a well.

The old emperor noticed the delegation’s shift in demeanor. With a glance, his mood brightened considerably.

“Who would’ve thought…” Below, Prime Minister Dou also noticed the delegation’s change and remarked to the crown prince beside him, “What an unexpected result.”

The crown prince’s response was a sharp intake of breath.

“!!!”

Prime Minister Dou immediately turned back to look.

In the distance, the black mass of cavalry charged forth. Against them, the infantry seemed like a lone leaf in a stormy sea, on the verge of being overwhelmed at any moment.

They held Five Thunder Divine Machines and Thunderclap Rifles in their hands. Though their faces were resolute, seemingly unafraid of the cavalry’s charge, the sight still made the onlookers anxious.

A military general asked in confusion, “Why haven’t they deployed the barbed wire yet? The cavalry must be about to make their final sprint.”@@novelbin@@

Cavalry units typically don’t rush in a single burst to attack and harass the enemy flank. Instead, they begin trotting at about 200 paces from the enemy and only make their final charge in the last 20 paces.

For light cavalry, covering 200 paces takes merely a fleeting moment (about a minute).

“No need to worry,” Xu Yanmiao reassured them. “Wait for my command—”

Xu Yanmiao focused intently on the cavalry, gauging the distance before shouting, “Deploy!!!”

In an instant, the infantry tossed out their prepared concertina barbed wire around themselves with a coordinated motion.

Three layers of barbed wire were arranged in a “品” (pin) shape, quickly blocking the path. Like a massive serpent, it sprawled out in front of the enemy cavalry.

Hooves kicked up clouds of dust, obscuring the cavalry’s vision. By the time they noticed the strange obstacles ahead, it was already too late.

“Raise your rifles—” Xu Yanmiao calmly raised his signal flag.

The infantry held their Five Thunder Divine Machines and Thunderclap Rifles. The former was regarded as “the world’s earliest revolver,” while the latter was touted as “the precursor to the Gatling gun.”

—Whether those claims were exaggerated or not, their range certainly extended beyond 100 paces.

The rifles were mock weapons to prevent accidental fire that could harm their own troops. Though the cavalry wasn’t truly hit or killed, the audience could easily imagine the scene of concentrated firepower tearing through them.

The Five Thunder Divine Machines and Thunderclap Rifles were weapons of the Northern Army of Da Xia, characterized by their speed in killing, rapid firing, and wide area of effect. However, this came at the expense of sheer power, relying instead on sustained firepower to make up for it.

In other words, these weapons were designed specifically to deal with cavalry from outside the borders.

Still, several cavalrymen managed to break through the range of the firepower.

Then their horses stepped into the barbed wire.

The atmosphere turned deadly in an instant.

The barbed wire coiled like a serpent, its barbs sinking into flesh and twisting as they tore through. Blood splattered in all directions as the horses screamed and collapsed. The riders were thrown from their mounts, only to be “finished off” by the mock Five Thunder Divine Machines and Thunderclap Rifles.

Though the rifles were fake, the barbed wire was not. Those horses’ legs were utterly ruined.

The Minister of Revenue winced at the sight, his face briefly showing distress. Meanwhile, the Mongol delegation was utterly terrified.

They shot to their feet, staring at the barbed wire and the bloodied horse hooves. The air was thick with the stench of blood, and a chilling sense of danger gripped them.

Someone served the old emperor a plate of pastries. He sat there, casually nibbling on small plum blossom cakes. After a few bites, he seemed overwhelmed by the sweetness, furrowing his brows briefly before instructing the eunuch to offer the pastries to the Mongol delegation.

“Honored envoys,” the old emperor said with a playful smile, “what’s the matter? Why have you suddenly risen? Are you hungry? Here is a plate of plum blossom cakes—fragrant and sweet…”

The Mongol delegation couldn’t have eaten a bite even if they wanted to. Their throats tightened, and a cold chill seemed to seep from their very bones. The expressions on their faces had shifted from awe to outright fear.

Exchanging glances, the envoys collectively bowed their proud heads. One of them stepped forward, addressing the emperor with a formal salute:

“Respected Da Xia Son of Heaven and Great Khan…”

—The term “Great Khan” was a title given to the supreme leader of the barbarian tribes beyond the borders. Some of these tribes had pledged allegiance to Da Xia, offering this title to the old emperor as a sign of their submission.

“Great Khan, we Mongols humbly beseech you to render justice.”

Finally, they were beginning to reveal the purpose of their visit.

The emperor’s gaze flickered slightly. “Oh? And what justice do you seek from Us?”