Please call me Your Majesty!

Chapter 292 Cannon Fodder Must Be Conscious
A helmet of a Northern Di cavalryman was carved in the center of a stone brick with auspicious cloud patterns, and blood splattered everywhere. The exquisite patterns were covered with brains and bone fragments, and gleamed eerily in the sunlight.

The cavalryman's body fell from his horse, his iron boots still stuck in the stirrups, and was dragged more than ten feet away by the frightened warhorse.

Even if they were only the size of a palm, the power of these bricks was astonishing after being accelerated by the catapult.

With a whooshing sound, another brick struck the Northern Di army formation, denting the breastplate of a centurion. The man fell to his knees, the blood spurting from his mouth staining his beard beneath his visor.

Even if they used shields to block, these stones could easily break the arms of the Northern Di people. Moreover, the Northern Di people relied on their strong iron armor, and almost none of them were equipped with shields.

Their underestimation of their enemy became their biggest weakness; their armor was like paper in front of the flying bricks.

In this situation, there was no other way but to rely on the strength of the armor to withstand the attack.

But the force of these falling bricks was so great that even iron armor could not stop them.

The dull thuds of bricks colliding with armor were incessant, like the tolling of death's bell.

Whether it's the helmet or the chest, if you get hit, it will be smashed and deeply dented.

One cavalryman's breastplate was smashed and embedded in his chest cavity. He futilely clutched at the dented armor plate, each breath accompanied by the sound of blood bubbles bursting.

Some who were hit on the head were a little luckier, because their brains would splatter and they would die on the spot.

Those other places that were hit by the bricks were in a terrible state.

Although they were basically beyond saving, they wouldn't die anytime soon either. The dented armor made it impossible for them to save themselves, so they could only lie on the ground in despair and wait to die.

Their cries echoed across the battlefield, more chilling than the sound of arrows piercing the air.

In such situations, the screams of wounded soldiers often greatly diminish the morale of their comrades.

Several Northern Di cavalrymen in the midst of their charge noticeably slowed down, glancing uneasily in the direction from which the screams were coming.

Only armies like the Northern Di cavalry were able to persist in their offensive.

The drawbacks of using other shaped projectiles with catapults also became apparent at this time. Bricks and the like, if they didn't hit the enemy, would simply fall to the ground and wouldn't tumble, thus causing little to no further damage.

However, round projectiles, even stones, will tumble and bounce upon landing due to their shape, increasing the likelihood of them hitting enemies later.

If it weren't for the fact that these bricks for building walls are everywhere, and you could just demolish the house when you run out, stone bullets really wouldn't be as useful.

"Well done, Wei Bing. Don't worry about the stone reserves. I've already sent men to demolish the wall for you. Fight like crazy!" Zhao Wenguang shouted from the city wall to Wei Bing below.

His voice was hoarse beyond recognition, yet it carried an unprecedented ferocity.

At the foot of the city wall, a group of soldiers were demolishing nearby houses, frantically transporting various stones and timbers towards the catapults.

Of the first few deputies Zhao Wenguang promoted, three, apart from Wei Bing, had already died in battle.

If Wei Bing hadn't been in charge of managing the catapults, he probably wouldn't be alive today.

"Understood, General, please rest assured!" Wei Bing replied breathlessly.

As I turned around, I tripped over a stone and almost fell.

Under Zhao Wenguang's urging, Wei Bing also became determined, directly taking off his armor, tearing open the linen clothes underneath, and personally operating the catapult shirtless.

His lean upper body was covered in scars, new wounds overlapping old ones, glistening in the setting sun. Sweat streamed down the grooves of his back, pooling into a dark patch at his waistband.

The soldiers who operated the catapults were all complete novices, except for those who were originally responsible for operating siege equipment. However, after a few days of familiarization, they are now very proficient.

A young soldier with a youthful face skillfully adjusted the counterweights; his movements were more precise than those of many veterans.

From loading to firing, they were 30% faster than before.

The creaking of the winches blended together, and the black shadows of the catapult arms rose and fell in waves.

With pre-set attack ranges, they hardly need to worry about anything and can just fire away.

The movements of passing bricks and operating the catapult were as smooth as flowing water.

In a short time, the attacking Northern Di cavalry were indeed routed.

The neighing of warhorses and the screams of soldiers mingled together, creating an exceptionally mournful sound.

In the distance, the Northern Di army formation was clearly in disarray, with many Northern Di cavalrymen disoriented and unsure of which direction to attack.

The Northern Di cavalry withstood the barrage of catapult stones as they attacked the city.

The rubble and bricks traced deadly arcs through the air, each fall accompanied by the dull thud of bones shattering.

Before they even reached the city walls, they had already lost nearly ten percent of their troops. The cries of the wounded echoed across the wilderness, mingling with the neighing of warhorses to create a mournful lament.

This dealt a significant blow to their morale, causing the attacking army to falter.

If it were the original Northern Di cavalry, this impact would be nothing at all. They had once braved a hail of arrows to breach even more fortified cities, carving a bloody path through mountains of corpses and seas of blood.

However, after experiencing a defeat in the vanguard battle, two failed sieges, and ultimately a change of commander, these setbacks gradually eroded their spirit like a dull knife.

With repeated blows, this impact becomes undeniable.

The messenger's voice was no longer loud, and the rhythm of the war drums became chaotic. Almost visibly, the Northern Di cavalry's attack had become limp and feeble.

The ladders were being erected on the city walls at a slower pace, and the soldiers climbing them were no longer as agile as before.

Although they continued their relentless attack, fearlessly scaling the city walls, the fervent light in their eyes had faded, and their movements became more like mechanically executing orders.

With one side gaining an advantage and the other losing an advantage, the soldiers at Xueyuan Pass on the city wall became more and more at ease.

Zhao Wenguang even had the time to arrange for the garrison to take turns resting, and the wounded were carried off the city wall in an orderly manner.

The pressure from the Northern Di cavalry was not even as great as the first wave of attacks in the morning.

At the camp of the Northern Barbarian cavalry, Tuoba Lie's face was terribly gloomy upon witnessing this scene.

His voice, as if squeezed out from between his teeth, was filled with suppressed anger as he coldly said, "Who can tell me what's going on? Why have our brave soldiers become as weak as lambs?"

The only response he received was endless silence.

The generals kept their heads down; some pretended to adjust their armor, others pretended to study the decorations on their saddles, but none dared to meet his gaze.

Who dares to say that?

Do they dare to say to Tuoba Lie's face that the reason for such low morale is that you, this guy, disregard the overall situation and insist on taking over the commander's position just because Murong Dayu made some minor mistakes, relying on your status?

If someone dares to say that, it's practically suicide.

If Murong Dayu were still in command, morale would never be so low.

With him in charge, even if the attack didn't go smoothly, the battle wouldn't have turned out like this. Seeing that no one spoke, Tuoba Lie really wanted to drag all these guys out and behead them.

He also knew that continuing like this was not a solution.

Whether they can win or not is another matter, but if they continue fighting like this, they'll probably destroy what little morale they have left.

Tuoba Lie forced himself to calm down.

Everything else is secondary; the most important thing right now is to maintain morale.

After a moment's thought, Tuoba Lie began calling out names, his voice cold and unyielding: "Bawutu, take your personal guards and go up to relieve them."

Ba Wutu was one of the first commanders of ten thousand to join Tuoba Lie.

Upon hearing his name, his obese body visibly trembled, and the fat on his face twitched uncontrollably.

Xueyuan Pass is heavily defended; whoever attacks it will likely suffer heavy losses.

Under such circumstances, Tuoba Lie would certainly not use his true loyalists.

However, sending Murong Dayu's original subordinates to attack might give others grounds for criticism, making it seem like he was eliminating dissidents.

So after much deliberation, they decided to let "their own people" bleed a little first.

Ba Wutu was almost in tears. If Tuoba Lie had only ordered him to attack the city, he wouldn't have felt any pressure. He could simply stay in the rear and let the ordinary soldiers die.

Since he had attacked so many times before without success, it wouldn't be a big deal if he failed.

The problem is, Tuoba Lie specifically ordered him to lead his personal guards.

Those personal guards were elite soldiers who had followed him for many years and were the foundation of his position in the army.

Thinking of the Black Armored Cavalry's miserable state, Bautu's heart bled.

However, he dared not utter a single word of dissent.

Bautu's body writhed restlessly on the horse, his shirt beneath his armor already soaked with cold sweat.

Putting aside the fact that this was a military order issued by Tuoba Lie in front of the entire army, anyone who dared to disobey the order would be executed.

Even if it wasn't a military order, he wouldn't dare to object if Tuoba Lie told him to do it.

Not long ago, he swore allegiance, but now he's making excuses even to attack a city.

Wouldn't Tuoba Lie suspect that he had some ulterior motive?
"Please rest assured, General, I will do my utmost and live up to your expectations." Bawutu agreed readily, but his voice sounded like it was being squeezed out from between his teeth.

The fat on his face twitched unnaturally, and his thick hands gripped the reins tightly...

His thoughts were practically written all over his face, how could Tuoba Lie not see it?

Tuoba Lieshua curled a cold smile at the corner of his mouth, his gaze sweeping over Bawutu's trembling beard and flickering eyes.

If he didn't even have this much skill, how could he have possibly taken the position of commander from Murong Dayu?
At that moment, Tuoba Lie beckoned to Ba Wutu, signaling him to come closer. This seemingly casual gesture caused the surrounding generals to step back a distance, lest they overhear something they shouldn't.

Batu forced a smile that looked more like a grimace, and rode forward. "General, please tell me if you have any further instructions. I will do my best to fulfill them." His voice trembled noticeably, like a taut bowstring.

Tuoba Lie snorted coldly, his voice like an ice blade scraping against iron armor: "I know you are very dissatisfied and think that I want to sacrifice you."

Upon hearing this, Bawutu quickly waved his hand: "General, you misunderstand. I believe you are not that kind of person. You must have your own reasons for making this arrangement. It's just that I am too stupid to understand your intentions."

He spoke very quickly, as if afraid of being interrupted.

Although he knew the guy wasn't being honest, he was still quite satisfied with the extent to which he had done so.

He nodded slightly, his gaze falling on the chaotic siege force below Xueyuan Pass.

Tuoba Lie lowered his voice slightly, his tone hoarse like the hot wind in the desert: "Xueyuan Pass is a tough nut to crack, so I didn't expect you to be able to take it down."

"As you can see, the morale of the army is almost on the verge of collapse."

"Therefore, I have only one request for you. Whether you use your personal guards or other troops, boost my morale."

"As long as you can do this, I will never forget your contribution, and I will never let you suffer any loss."

Tuoba Lie's promise was very appealing, but it couldn't suppress Ba Wutu's unease.

"Do you understand what I mean?" Tuoba Lie raised his eyebrows and said with a half-smile.

Bautu suddenly realized what was happening, and the fear in his eyes was gradually replaced by shrewd calculation.

A fawning smile spread across his fat face as he said repeatedly, "I see. Just you wait and see, General. You won't be disappointed."

Although he spoke with great confidence, Bautu had no idea how he would actually do it.

After all, the requirement to boost morale is rather vague.

Bautu rode back to his camp, his hooves rustling as they trod across the withered grass.

Bautu couldn't figure out how to boost morale, so he simply stopped thinking about it.

He immediately mustered two hundred personal guards and also transferred eighteen hundred ordinary Northern Di cavalry, making a total of two thousand men. His personal guard actually numbered a full one thousand, and it would take several years to train each of these elite troops. Of course, he wouldn't fill all his direct troops with them.

However, Tuoba Lie had given the order, and he couldn't completely ignore it. So he just brought two hundred men to make a show of it.

When the troops were assembled and lined up, Bautu could clearly feel the low morale permeating the ranks.

The war drums sounded, deep and muffled like thunder.

Having been observing from the rear, Bawutu didn't really think that the defenders of Xueyuan Pass were that strong.

At the time, he secretly mocked Murong Dayu's incompetence, thinking that he himself would have conquered the broken city long ago.

It wasn't until he personally led his troops to attack and faced Xueyuan Pass head-on that he truly realized just how terrifying this formidable pass was.

The defenders on the city wall were orderly, and the rolling logs and stones fell with precision as if they had eyes.

Having gone through several battles, the defending soldiers had become quite shrewd and were very careful to protect themselves.

In just one probing attack, he lost more than three hundred men.

Fortunately, these were just ordinary Northern Di cavalry. If they were his personal guards, Bawutu, you would be heartbroken.

Just as he was feeling overwhelmed, he didn't notice that ever since he appeared, a gaze from the city wall had been fixed on him.

Chu Shizhao stroked his chin: "This guy is very strange."

(End of this chapter)