Chapter 74: A Small Invention That Solves a Big Problem

This time, Chen Mu once again brought along the Invincible Flying Army and the Wudang Flying Army, for the Donghu region also contained mountains. Both armies had been replenished after the previous battle: the Invincible Flying Army numbered five thousand, and the Wudang Flying Army three thousand. Chen Mu had requested twenty thousand troops, but the remaining twelve thousand were not merely reserves. Given the vast grasslands of Donghu, Chen Mu intended to bring cavalry.

Other generals would lead troops to transport provisions, but unlike before, they would not participate in the fighting. The main force of the Donghu army was cavalry as well, and infantry naturally held a disadvantage against them. Only elite troops like the Invincible Flying Army and Wudang Flying Army could match their strength.

Chen Mu ordered the generals to muster troops and prepare supplies, but he himself was not idle—he devised yet another invention. This item was quite simple; Chen Mu drew a blueprint, and the blacksmith fashioned it with ease. Taking the sample and the blacksmith, Chen Mu went to the Great Xia cavalry camp.

“General Li, this is the horseshoe I mentioned,” he said.

Li Feng stared in astonishment at the curved piece Chen Mu held. “Your Highness, can such a small thing truly enable warhorses to endure long journeys?”

The Donghu region was sparsely populated, its roads poor and the soil hard. Horses struggled with long treks there. Thus, Chen Mu devised horseshoes for this campaign—a concept with no technical complexity, yet few had ever thought to fit shoes on horses.

Chen Mu smiled. “Of course. It’s just like people: walking barefoot and wearing shoes are worlds apart.”

Li Feng was even more amazed. “Fitting shoes for horses? How does one put them on?”

“Watch closely,” Chen Mu replied.

He summoned a soldier to lead a horse over and secure it in place. He then had the blacksmith nail on the horseshoe. Prior to this, Chen Mu had already allowed the blacksmith to practice on more than ten dead horses, so the craftsman was now well versed in the technique.

Under the astonished gaze of the assembled officers and men, the blacksmith grasped one of the warhorse’s legs. The animal, uncomfortable, twisted and turned, but being restrained, could not break free.

The blacksmith struggled; working on a live horse was different from a dead one—it kept moving, making accuracy difficult. The horse handler hurried to soothe the animal, and after a while, it finally calmed.

Chen Mu nodded. “Ready. Begin.”

The blacksmith took up a rasp and smoothed the hoof, then started nailing the horseshoe. The handler’s heart ached as he saw the nails driven into the horse’s hoof, but the prince’s command could not be disobeyed.

He could only watch helplessly as the blacksmith nailed the horseshoe to the horse’s foot.

To his surprise, the horse did not cry out in pain!

How could this be? He had clearly seen the nails hammered into the hoof, yet no blood flowed.

When the blacksmith finished, Chen Mu inspected the work.

“Excellent, no cracks, the size is perfect.”

The officers crowded around, marveling.

Chen Mu explained, “The hoof is all keratin, just like a human fingernail. We feel no pain when trimming our nails, and a horse’s ‘nail’ is large enough to fit a horseshoe. Without shoes, the hoof wears down quickly on hard ground. Once it cracks and exposes the sensitive parts, the horse can no longer fight. But now, with horseshoes, so long as the horse has strength, it can gallop freely across Donghu’s hard terrain. Moreover, Donghu’s horses likely lack this technology, giving us a clear advantage.”

The officers were deeply impressed and praised him repeatedly.

In the days that followed, twelve thousand warhorses were fitted with horseshoes. They were tested on hard ground, yielding remarkable results.

Now, the warhorses could run across Donghu as usual.

At this point, the army and provisions were ready, and the force set out for the Eastern Plains.

With steady resupply, the army reached the border of the Eastern Plains.

Dongzhi County was the nearest county to the Central Plains reported to be occupied by Donghu. When Chen Mu arrived, he found no sign of the Donghu army.

The banner atop the city was that of Great Xia.

Chen Mu remained vigilant and ordered Zhang Zhong to call out from the gates. Soon, a figure appeared—it was the magistrate of Dongzhi County.

“General, is His Highness the Prince leading the army?” he asked.

Zhang Zhong replied, “Indeed, His Highness is here. What is the situation within the city?”

The magistrate rejoiced. “The Donghu people withdrew on their own.”

“Open the gates! Welcome His Highness!”

The gates opened, and Chen Mu led five thousand Invincible Flying Army into the city, ordering the main force to camp outside.

Upon entering, Chen Mu asked, “When did the Donghu people leave? Where did they go?”

The magistrate sighed. “Your Highness, Donghu occupied Dongzhi County for five days, taking away everything they could. As for their whereabouts, I do not know, but I estimate they have already left Great Xia’s borders.”

He spoke in detail: during those five days of Donghu occupation, Dongzhi County suffered unspeakable horrors.

The Donghu people ransacked every home for grain and silver, leaving nothing behind. They abused men and women alike, committing every conceivable evil. Dongzhi County once had a population of one hundred thousand; now, just over seventy thousand remained.

Most of the young women had met untimely deaths.

Those who survived had not eaten for days, relying on well water to subsist.

After the magistrate and his men reclaimed the empty city, they quickly distributed emergency provisions, yet thousands more died during this time.

Fortunately, supplies from the Dongyue region arrived—grain, meat, fruit. Otherwise, it was uncertain how many would have survived in Dongzhi.

Chen Mu listened and slammed his fist onto the table.

“Donghu, I, Chen Mu, will avenge this!”

The officers, filled with righteous fury, cursed Donghu vehemently.

When the indignation subsided, Chen Mu unfolded the map and said,

“The Donghu main force is cavalry; they must have retreated to the grasslands. Let us grant them their wish and fight the first battle on the plains!”

On the map, Donghu was divided into two regions: grassland on the left, mountains and plains on the right.

Donghu was rich in horses and practiced year-round grazing, so their troops were all cavalry. According to reports, Donghu had not a single infantryman.

Cavalry was their strength, but Great Xia was not lacking either. And Chen Mu’s army had a secret weapon—horseshoes.

On the grasslands, the difference made by horseshoes was less pronounced, but on the hard terrain to the east, it was significant.

Thus, Chen Mu would fight the first battle on the grasslands, but not entirely on Donghu’s terms.

He drew a line on the map, began local preparations, and, once provisions arrived, distributed some to the people before advancing with supplies.

The army marched along the eastern edge of the grasslands. Three days later, scouts spotted signs of the Donghu army.