Lu Ming came to a stop.

The Zhaohe army had seen Ning Chen's men too, and pulled up short without thinking.

They looked back, and at once the color drained from their faces.

At some point the Great Xuan's officers and men had withdrawn into the city. Only they were left.

"Yuan Long, take five thousand of the Ning'an Army. Wound them, don't kill them!"

"This officer obeys!"

Yuan Long swept a hand out. "Ning'an Army, charge with me!"

Five thousand horse surged out like a tide.

Stupid as they were, the Zhaohe knew enough to run.

They wheeled their horses and fled like madmen.

Seeing that, Lu Ming shouted, "Officers and men, hear my order! After them!"

Lu Ming led his men in pursuit.

"General Lu, have your men clear the way!"

Several of the Ning'an Army's men shouted it together.

Lu Ming looked back and was astonished. How was the Ning'an Army moving so fast?

Everything the Ning'an Army had was of the best, and their horses were picked out one at a time — no ordinary warhorse could stand comparison.

"Clear the way, quickly!"

Lu Ming gave the order.

The officers and men drew aside and left the road open.

The Ning'an Army shot past like a loosed arrow, the air shrieking, and threw up dust enough to darken the sky.

The Zhaohe people's horsemanship was nothing much to begin with.

And their mounts were no match for the Ning'an Army's fine horses.

"Little runts, where do you think you're running?"

Yuan Long bellowed it.

The Ning'an Army caught up with the Zhaohe army.

Lu Ming and his officers and men suddenly went wide-eyed.

Now at last they saw the Ning'an Army's terrible fighting strength.

The Zhaohe army could not stand up to a single blow.

The strange weapons in the Ning'an Army's hands swept left and right.

The Zhaohe kept tumbling from their saddles and were trampled into pulp under the horses behind.

The Ning'an Army's warhorses tore past; the Zhaohe army went down, men and horses together, and fell into confusion.

Yuan Long drove his…