Guiyi Fei Tang

Chapter 402 The Legacy of Emperor Taizong (A Long Chapter of 10,000 Words)
"Drive! Drive! Drive..."

In the Wei River Valley, as thousands of elite cavalrymen galloped toward Wushan County, a troop of elite cavalrymen came galloping from the opposite direction.

"Shut up!"

"Beep--"

The wooden whistle blew, and the riders reined in their horses and stopped, watching as the elite cavalry charged toward the central army.

A dozen or so moments later, the elite cavalry arrived at the center of the army and hurriedly reined in their horses to bow to the king under the banner.

"Young Master, the rebels have dispatched a large number of cavalry to Fuqiang. The battle in Wushan County is probably over!"

"What did you say?!"

Before Wang Shi could react, Yang Xuanji, who had come with the army beside him, couldn't help but speak up.

"We received the news just over two hours ago. Wushan County and its passes had 10,000 troops. How could the battle have ended so quickly!"

"You wretched killer, are you trying to demoralize the army?!"

Yang Xuanji simply couldn't believe his side would lose so quickly, and the officers of the Tang cavalry, upon hearing this, immediately dismounted, knelt on one knee, and bowed, saying:

"Vice Envoy, please understand. This humble general is not speaking falsely; it is indeed the truth. Moreover, none of our troops managed to break through the encirclement. It was precisely because there was no one to provide support, coupled with the fierce advance of the rebel cavalry, that this humble general had no choice but to retreat. I beg the Vice Envoy and Junior Guardian to investigate this matter thoroughly!"

The colonel's words were like a slap in the face to Wang Shi and Yang Xuanji.

With an army of 10,000 men, surrounded by a city and a pass, they were not only surrounded by the rebels within four hours, but they were also unable to break out.

The two men were unaware of what was happening in the west, but they knew that the question was no longer whether they could rescue Wushan County, but how to protect Fuqiang County.

Yang Xuanji's face was grim, but his gaze instinctively drifted towards Wang Shi.

The troops in Wushan County and the passes were all under the command of Wang She. Now that Wushan has fallen, no government troops have broken through the siege, and Wang She is probably in grave danger.

If Wang Shi is determined to provide aid, then the only recourse is to invoke the emperor's name to stop him.

Yang Xuanji thought this way, but he always looked down on Wang Shi.

Faced with the situation where his eldest son's fate was unknown, Wang Shi coldly said, "Wang She's death in Wushan County is not a pity."

"Issue a military order: the main force shall retreat to Fuqiang. The cavalry shall be allowed to advance twenty li. Withdraw!"

Wang Shi was the first to turn his horse around, and the generals looked at each other in disbelief, clearly not expecting that Wang Shi would be so heartless as to not save his eldest son.

However, seeing that Wang Shidu had turned his horse around and left, they had no choice but to follow.

Three thousand elite cavalrymen began to retreat to Fuqiang, which was only seventeen or eighteen li from Wushan County and twenty-two or twenty-three li from Fuqiang County.

It would only take a couple of quarters of an hour to drive back.

The army withdrew to Fuqiang. Wang Shi remained silent the whole way, and no one knew what he was thinking. Only he himself knew how dangerous his current situation was.

Liu Jilong captured the pass and the city in one day, and the fate of tens of thousands of government troops is unknown. If this military report is sent to Chang'an, the emperor will surely be furious.

If Wang She were to die for his country, that would be fine; but if he were to be captured alive by the rebels, then my position would likely be short-lived.

But after I leave, who will be able to take over the hundreds of thousands of troops in the western border?
Wang Shi was not afraid of losing his current position; he was more worried about the future of the Tang Dynasty.

He didn't feel ashamed to lose to Liu Jilong, but the consequences of losing to Liu Jilong were something the Tang Dynasty couldn't afford.

Now, the only one who can succeed him is probably Gao Pian from Xichuan, but Wang Shi always felt that Gao Pian was too deep in thought.

Wang Shi didn't know whether handing over the Western Frontier troops to him was a good thing or a bad thing.

However, it is too early to think about these things now. If Wang She really died for his country, then he only needs to block Liu Jilong's attack tomorrow and protect the cities of Fuqiang, Shanggui, Qingshui, and Qinling. Perhaps the emperor will not have to dismiss him.

As a father, Wang Shi hoped that Wang She would still be alive, but as a subject, he hoped that Wang She would die for his country.

Two conflicting emotions swirled within him, leaving him confused and his hands and feet cold.

"Beep--"

"Beep beep!!"

Suddenly, a piercing whistle rang out from behind. Wang Shi was jolted awake and quickly turned to look back. The other generals did the same.

"impossible……"

Everyone shared this thought, but as the frantic figures of the Tang cavalrymen behind them gradually drew closer, and their whistling during the race was seen by everyone, their spirits instantly plummeted.

They watched helplessly as the cavalry approached the central army, and without stopping, they bowed and anxiously reported:
"Young Master, a message has arrived from the rear guard: the rebel army is marching towards Fuqiang, and they are only twelve li away from our army!"

"Insanity!"

"Young Master, our army should withdraw to Fuqiang as soon as possible!"

"Young Master, I suggest we halt here. With Liu Jilong's exhausted troops, our army may not be without a chance of victory!"

The generals had mixed feelings, but their thoughts were largely in agreement.

Three battles in one day: was Liu Jilong too arrogant, or did the previous two battles not exhaust them too much?
Wang Shi's expression changed, and he spoke in a deep voice to the cavalry: "Find out how many troops they have coming, and do it quickly!"

"Your subordinate obeys!" The officer bowed and accepted the order, then turned his horse around and rode away with the rest of the cavalry.

After they left, Wang Shi calmly said, "Maintain the current marching speed, don't panic, wait for news from the Tang cavalry!"

"Yes!" the generals replied, but in their hearts they were calculating how far they were from Fuqiang.

When they calculated that the distance between the two sides was only fifteen or sixteen li, they couldn't help but relax a little.

At this distance, even if Liu Jilong led a large army to pursue them, they were confident they could retreat to Fuqiang.

Even so, they couldn't help but feel worried, and many generals would look back from time to time.

About fifteen minutes later, the cavalrymen reappeared from behind, galloping towards them as usual.

Before long, they approached the central army, and the leader of the officers bowed and said, "Young Guardian, the number of rebels is about four or five thousand, and they are only ten miles away from here."

The distance between the two sides was closing, which showed that Liu Jilong's troops had not expended too much energy and were marching faster than them.

However, with Fuqiang City right in front of them, they didn't need to rush.

"Keep exploring!"

Wang Shi calmly spoke, and the colonels received the order and left.

After he left, Wang Shi continued, "Send an order to Yang Gongqing, the deputy commander of the Shence Army, to send a general with 5,000 troops to garrison the Wei River pass. Order Zhao Qian to leave a general with 3,000 Shence Army soldiers to garrison the plains. The remaining 4,000 infantrymen should immediately withdraw to Fuqiang City."

Throughout the autumn rainy season, Wang Shi did not remain idle.

Having prepared to switch from offense to defense, he naturally relied on the terrain to build passes and camps, and deployed a large number of trenches outside the towns of Wushan and Fuqiang.

He originally thought that with the arrangements in Wushan County, he could at least hold off the rebels for two or three months, resulting in tens of thousands of rebel casualties.

In retrospect, he overestimated his eldest son and underestimated the rebels' fighting strength.

However, he was very puzzled, as apart from Liu Jilong, there seemed to be few commendable generals in Longyou.

Now that Liu Jilong is stationed in Sanyangchuan, who is the rebel general who led the rebel army to quickly defeat his own eldest son?
"Could it be that another figure like Shi Siming or An Shouzhong has appeared..."

Wang Shi's heart tightened. He was already at a disadvantage against Liu Jilong alone. If Liu Jilong had a few more talented generals under his command, then Qinzhou would probably not be able to deplete the rebel army as much as he had expected.

If he loses Qin Prefecture too quickly, he might lose the emperor's trust...

As time passed, a narrow section of the valley soon appeared ahead.

This place, nestled between the Wei River and the Qinling Mountains, is only about thirty feet wide, yet a stone wall about ten feet high and thirty feet long has already been built here.

This is the pass to the west of Fuqiang, and there is also a stone wall pass over forty feet long built on the north bank of the Wei River.

There are 1,000 Shence Army soldiers stationed on the north bank and 2,000 Shence Army soldiers stationed on the south bank.

However, when they arrived, Yang Gongqing had already dispatched 5,000 Shence Army soldiers to the area, along with more than 20,000 civilian laborers.

The army began to quickly pass through the city gate at this pass, and beyond this point lay the wide plains of the Fuqiang River Valley.

The entire plain is divided into north and south, with over 100,000 mu of arable land, and more than 20,000 people living in Fuqiang City.

It's harvest time right now, and the grain will be ready in just three or four days. We're at a critical juncture.

With the harvested grain and the Fuqiang City that Gao Pian had repaired years ago, holding out for several months would not be a problem.

As he pondered this, Wang Shi led three thousand elite cavalrymen into the plains within the pass, while the Tang cavalrymen from afar were also galloping towards them.

However, this cavalry unit undoubtedly looked quite disheveled, as the dust billowed high behind them, as if a thousand troops were about to charge.

"Quickly, prepare to raise the drawbridge!!"

On the pass's horse path, the commander of the Shence Army hurriedly gave the order, and all the Shence Army soldiers waited.

As the hundred or so cavalrymen swiftly crossed the suspension bridge, the commander-in-chief, without hesitation, swung his arm and shouted, "Pull!!"

As the drawbridge was slowly raised, hundreds of Shence soldiers on the bridle path immediately operated the winch crossbows and began firing crossbow bolts at the rebels in the distance.

"Bam—"

"Hey!!"

"Beep--"

Dozens of crossbow bolts, each as tall as a person, pierced the earth, sending dirt flying. At the same time, the Longyou cavalry and infantry, a hundred paces away, blew their wooden whistles and reined in their horses.

The army stopped more than four hundred paces away from the pass, a distance at which even the accuracy of catapults would be greatly reduced.

"General, be careful!"

On horseback, Zhang Wu, who had been brought by Liu Jilong, quickly stood in front of Liu Jilong, but Liu Jilong still rode to the front of the formation and looked out at the distant pass.

He was well aware of the power of the government army's winch crossbows, but the range of the winch crossbows was not more than a thousand meters as later generations had said; in reality, it was only two or three hundred paces, or three or four hundred meters.

Even the Longyou army's triple-bow winch crossbow could only shoot a distance of about 400 paces, or about 600 meters.

They were at least four hundred paces from the pass, and with the power of the government troops' winches and crossbows, this place was quite safe.

Liu Jilong estimated the distance, then looked at Zhang Wu: "Send a fast horse to tell Gao Jinda to leave 3,000 troops at Wushan, and the rest of the troops and laborers should rush to this place immediately."

"Set up camp before dark, with the government troops' crossbow bolts as the boundary, and set up camp one hundred paces behind them."

"Your subordinate obeys!" Zhang Wu replied without hesitation, while Liu Jilong gazed at the distant pass.

He hadn't expected Wang Shi to be so calm. Even with his eldest son's life hanging in the balance, he could still retreat with composure. If Wang Shi had been just a quarter of an hour later, he could have kept his three thousand elite cavalrymen at bay.

However, it doesn't matter. Even if they retreat into the pass, it will only take one more day to take down Fuqiang.

"One day is enough to take Fuqiang!"

Liu Jilong turned his horse around and returned to the camp, while the last government troops to retreat to the pass brought the most important military intelligence to Wang Shi.

"Young Guardian, the rebel general outside the pass is the bandit leader Liu Jilong!!"

"Ridiculous! Isn't Liu Jilong in Sanyangchuan?!"

"It's absolutely true! The commander-in-chief of the rebel army outside the pass is indeed Liu Jilong, and his banner is right here in the ranks!"

When Tang Qi revealed the name of the commander of the Longyou army outside the city, Yang Xuanji once again refuted him in disbelief.

Tang Qiliexiao quickly explained, which made Yang Xuanji put away his astonishment and couldn't help but look at Wang Shi.

"Ugh……"

Wang Shi took a deep breath, and the generals, seeing this, realized that they had been fooled by an unknown rebel general for more than a month.

This is understandable, given that An Pohu led his troops in continuous attacks, and their momentum was no less than when Liu Jilong was in command. In addition, An Pohu always attacked under Liu Jilong's banner, so it's no wonder that the government troops always thought that Liu Jilong was stationed in Sanyangchuan.

"Prepare stones, logs, and crossbow bolts. Now that we've decided to switch from offense to defense, let's use this pass to wear down the rebel army outside the pass as much as possible!"

Wang Shi's gaze gradually turned cold as he swept his cold eyes over the generals present.

Currently, most of the officers and soldiers from various towns have been taken by Li Hongfu to garrison Shanggui, while the rest are under the command of Li Chengxun, who is trying to recapture the four passes of Longshan together.

Besides the 20,000 Shence Army soldiers, only 3,000 Tianxiong elite cavalry remained in the Fuqiang River Valley.

These 20,000 Shence Army soldiers had only undergone one year of training, including two months of marching. Wang Shi did not have high expectations for their combat effectiveness.

For now, all we need to do is defend the city and the pass. The stone thrown by a veteran who has been trained for three years is no different from the stone thrown by a veteran who has been trained for one year.

As long as the rebels can be severely damaged, Wang Shi would not feel any remorse even if all 20,000 Shence Army soldiers were to perish here.

The imperial court lost 20,000 soldiers, but it could recover by gritting its teeth. However, the situation was different in Longyou.

As for the attitude of the Northern Division, Wang Shi was even less concerned.

These 20,000 Shence Army soldiers were merely scapegoats temporarily recruited by the eunuchs of the Northern Division. Even if they all died, the eunuchs of the Northern Division wouldn't care.

Thinking of this, Wang Shi walked up to the pass and turned his gaze to the rebel army outside the pass.

If he loses this battle, he will at least lose Qin Prefecture, or at worst Qinlong, and his dismissal will be a foregone conclusion.

However, if he could exchange his defeat for a Pyrrhic victory for the Longyou army, he would have no regrets.

As he observed the situation, time passed, and Gao Jinda, after leaving behind 3,000 infantrymen and incorporating the soldiers of Gudaoshibao into his army, personally led 13,000 infantrymen and 20,000 laborers to the front line.

When it was 19 PM, it would still take a while to set up camp. Several thousand laborers were assigned to cook, while the rest built the camp according to the camp map drawn by Liu Jilong.

Half an hour later, as darkness fell, the camp was finally completed.

Today, the army first broke through the pass, then took Wushan. After marching seventy-four li, the soldiers and laborers are all exhausted.

Liu Jilong handed over the night watch to Gao Jinda, while he dealt with some administrative matters briefly before going to sleep.

He slept soundly, as did the soldiers of the Longyou army.

Compared to them, the government troops, who were protected by the pass, seemed particularly uneasy, and the Shence Army's camp was filled with a sense of oppression.

Ultimately, these Shence Army soldiers were just ordinary people who had been dragged into the Chang'an court by the officials to serve as scapegoats.

Even after ten months of training, it was still their first time fighting on the front lines.

In addition, Liu Jilong and the Longyou Army had a notorious reputation, and Wang She and others were captured by them in a single day. All these events increased their psychological burden and put them under great pressure.

Not to mention them, even Wang Shi and Yang Xuanji were unable to get a proper rest. Even though it was already midnight (23 PM), the two of them were still patrolling the camp.

They had seen the performance of the Shence Army, and many generals were even more disheartened.

Yang Xuanji said nothing, but he was already thinking about his escape route.

Upon returning to the tent, before Wang Shi could even speak, he preemptively said, "Fuqiang is a strategically important place. Although I am the military supervisor, I am far less knowledgeable about military affairs than Zhao Bingmashi."

"How about we transfer Zhao's military commander to assist the Junior Guardian, while I remain to oversee the rear at Fuqiang?"

Yang Xuanji's plan was sound. Since Yang Gongqing already occupied the Luoshuidao camp, he certainly couldn't compete with Yang Gongqing for a position. Therefore, Fuqiang County was his best escape route.

Although Luoshuidao was hit by arrows at the pass and Fuqiang County, if the pass was breached, he could immediately lead his troops to break out through Luoshuidao, and there would still be enough time.

Wang Shi naturally understood what he was thinking, and his expression turned ugly.

Just as he was about to lead his troops in a desperate battle, Yang Xuanji was to be transferred to the rear, which was undoubtedly a blow to the morale of the generals.

However, he couldn't afford to offend Bei Si, so even though his eyes seemed to want to devour someone, he still had to agree to Yang Xuanji's suggestion.

"So good..."

Wang Shi spoke slowly, and Yang Xuanji's face lit up with joy. He then bowed and withdrew from the tent.

After he left, Wang Shi glanced at the dozen or so generals and several commanders in the tent, and couldn't help but speak:

"The rebel army outside the pass numbers no more than 20,000, while our army also has more than 20,000, and we also have passes, camps, and cities to rely on. Why do you all adopt this attitude?"

"We who are paid by the emperor, are we to behave worse than ordinary people when war comes?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Wang Shi raised his hand and said, "Please be seated, everyone!"

Upon seeing this, the generals hesitated and took their seats. Wang Shi then summoned one of his personal guards, whispered to him for a moment, and then dismissed him.

Before long, plates of roasted mutton were brought into the tent, but the generals had no appetite.

Suddenly, the sound of zithers and lutes rang out outside the tent. The sound was gentle and slow. Although it caused a commotion in the camp, it only attracted the attention of the anxious Shence Army soldiers and did not cause a riot.

As the soldiers gradually relaxed to the sound of the zither, the sounds of bells and drums joined the music, and the style of the music changed slowly. Many soldiers propped themselves up or even sat up.

"Emperor Taizong raised an army eighteen times, and with white banners and yellow axes, he pacified the two capitals."

"Capture and kill Dou, and the world is at peace; at twenty-four, the great work is accomplished."

"He ascended the throne at the age of twenty-nine and brought peace to the land at the age of thirty-five."

"Success is achieved and reason is settled with great speed; the speed lies in opening one's heart and mind to others..."

"The Dance of Seven Virtues," a narrative epic written by Bai Juyi decades ago to praise Emperor Taizong of Tang, has been presented in musical form.

As the music played, the deeds of Emperor Taizong gradually appeared in the minds of the generals and soldiers in the camp. The originally anxious generals and soldiers relaxed and recalled the glorious Tang Dynasty, when the heavens blessed all nations.

The Zhenguan era seemed to be right before their eyes, and many generals and soldiers couldn't help but feel a surge of pride, their breathing becoming heavy.

Even Yang Xuanji and his servants, who were packing their belongings inside the tent, couldn't help but slow down their actions.

"Emperor Taizong's achievements are beyond compare; for me to desert in the face of battle is truly..."

As the performance of the "Seven Virtues Dance" progressed, even Yang Xuanji couldn't help but hesitate.

Like him, the generals of the Shence Army in the tent also exchanged glances, their eyes filled with complex emotions.

Upon seeing this, Wang Shi immediately stood up and said, "How can we proceed with music without dancing?"

"Although I am old, my sword dance is still quite remarkable. If you are willing to follow me, how about we dance with swords?"

Before the generals could react, Wang Shi pressed down on the hilt of his sword, drew it, and stepped down from his seat. He then used the sword as a weapon and danced with it within the tent.

Suddenly, the music outside the tent changed, becoming strangely familiar, and Wang Shi abruptly spoke up:

"Having received the decree from the emperor, we march together to punish the rebellious minister. We sing songs of victory, and together we celebrate this peaceful era!"

The "Seven Virtues Dance" suddenly turned into the "Breaking the Formation Music," catching all the generals off guard.

Seeing that even at the age of fifty-eight, Wang Shi could sing "Breaking the Formation" and dance with a sword, they felt a slight lump in their throats.

"Young Master, though I am not talented, I dare to dance with you for a while!"

"So it is for me too!"

"Me too!" The generals in the tent rose one after another, drawing their swords and brandishing them in a dance.

After the performance of "Qin King's Battle Song," countless generals understood the king's intentions and responded with dances in support.

The clash of swords was like the clash of metal and the thunder of horses. Wang Shi drew his men close to his swords and met the gazes of his generals.

"Though I am old, I am still willing to fight to the death. What do you all think?"

"I am willing to fight to the death with you, Young Guardian!!"

The generals' voices were not loud, yet they were deafening.

Upon hearing this, Yang Xuanji, whose tent was right next to the yamen (a military tent), looked at the servant who was packing up with shame and said, "Don't pack anymore, pack it up tomorrow!"

"Yes..." The servants also felt aggrieved, but even so, they still couldn't stop Yang Xuanji from leaving the front line.

As the music ended, the generals marched out of their tents in high spirits, and the soldiers in the camp also put aside their anxieties, regained their composure, and were fully prepared for the fierce battle the next day.

After Wang Shi stepped out of the tent and watched the generals leave, his gaze couldn't help but drift towards Yang Xuanji's tent.

Seeing that Yang Xuanji still hadn't made a statement, he shook his head and then went into the tent.

Several hours passed, and the sky began to lighten, but Wang Shi deliberately did not order anyone to call for the camp, wanting the soldiers to rest a little longer.

As for himself, he rested for less than three hours before arriving at the gate with bloodshot eyes.

The mornings in mid-September were slightly chilly, with the Wei River rolling in and the damp, cold wind causing Wang Shi's cloak to billow.

Wang Shi did not leave, but continued to stare in the direction of the Longyou military camp.

A quarter of an hour later, groups of laborers dressed in clothing similar to winter coats came out of the camp and drove supply wagons to load and unload timber. After assembling the timber, they formed siege weapons of various sizes.

In less than half an hour, siege engines such as nest carts, Lu Gong carts, battering rams, bridges, and cloud carts were assembled, and smoke gradually rose from the camp.

When the time came to Chenshi (7 o'clock), people in the camp began to drive horse-drawn carts, carrying something in wooden barrels to the front of the camp. The laborers lined up to receive the food.

At the same time, the government troops inside the pass also got up one after another, and the laborers carried food into the military camp for the soldiers to eat.

"Young Guardian!"

A familiar voice rang out, and Wang Shi turned around to see Zhao Qian, who had rushed over, looking travel-worn.

"You've come." He spoke calmly, his gaze quickly shifting to the Longyou military camp beyond the pass, and he couldn't help but say:

“Look at the rebel camp. I have heard that Liu Jilong promoted education in Longyou, so that children all have access to books, people all have land to cultivate, and city dwellers all have jobs…”

"I initially thought it was an exaggeration, but now it seems to be true."

Wang Shi saw a lot of intricacies in the simple act of laborers building siege equipment.

"What?" Zhao Qian was somewhat taken aback, not understanding what his junior steward was saying.

Seeing that he didn't understand, Wang Shi pointed out: "Look, the laborers in Longyou are not afraid of the battlefield, and when they see food, they do not scramble for it, nor do they need soldiers to organize them. They will line up to receive the food on their own."

"This shows that they have no shortage of food on a daily basis, know etiquette, and are exceptionally disciplined."

"If these laborers were used for training, they could probably be trained into soldiers in just four or five months."

"If all the people of Longyou are like this, then if the imperial court wants to conquer Longyou, I'm afraid..."

Wang Shi shook his head, ultimately not uttering the final words.

Zhao Qian remained silent, as he had learned the previous night that the person he had been fighting alongside in Pingchuan these past few days was not Liu Jilong.

The real Liu Jilong had already gone to Weizhou, where he led his army to break through the city and passes of Wushan County and defeated tens of thousands of government troops, leaving Wang She's fate unknown.

Although the imperial court referred to the Longyou Army as a rebel army, judging from the quality of its soldiers, the Longyou Army seemed more like an "official army".

Thinking this, Zhao Qian looked back at the pass and saw that the laborers were scrambling for the millet porridge for breakfast, while the soldiers were eating the thick millet porridge with flatbread as a side dish.

After the outbreak of the war in Longyou, the price of rice in Guanzhong rose sharply, reportedly reaching 300 coins per dou (a unit of dry measure).

Being able to eat a bowl of millet porridge on the front lines is already a very good breakfast.

Zhao Qian was sighing, but a few hundred paces away in front of the Longyou military camp, the laborers of Longyou were patiently queuing up.

Each person received a wooden bowl the size of their face and chopsticks. With the help of the cook and the kitchen staff, they successfully obtained a bowl of hot mutton bone soup and two corn buns.

This is not the norm. The food that soldiers and laborers in Longyou usually eat when they are on the march is mostly millet that has been repeatedly steamed and boiled, shrinking in size by several times, and tastes like chewing wax.

Since Wushan County was captured just yesterday, and Wushan County is only 27 or 28 li away from the battlefield, the soldiers and laborers will naturally be able to eat normal food and will not have to eat military rations due to the inconvenience of transportation.

Inside the tent, Liu Jilong didn't receive any special treatment. He was treated the same as the soldiers, with a bowl of mutton bone soup and a few millet buns.

He buried his head in his food and ate heartily, quickly finishing it all before getting up and leaving the tent.

It was now the fourth quarter of Chen Shi (7:40 AM), and the sun was rising from the mountains, its rays warming the people.

"General!"

Gao Jinda and Zhang Wu had already finished eating and were waiting outside the tent.

Upon seeing Liu Jilong emerge, the two men bowed to him. Liu Jilong then said, "Call over a few brothers who are skilled in blacksmithing."

"Yes!" Zhang Wu quickly agreed, and soon brought several soldiers who were skilled in blacksmithing, able to smelt iron and repair armor and weapons, to Liu Jilong.

Upon seeing the group, Liu Jilong immediately said, "Take some men to the mountain, cut down a few trees, hollow out the trunks, pour molten iron over them, and stuff gunpowder packets inside."

"Yes!" the group quickly replied, then turned and left.

Upon seeing this, Gao Jinda immediately asked curiously, "General, what's your plan behind all this?"

Zhang Wu pricked up his ears to eavesdrop, but Liu Jilong made no attempt to hide it and said directly:

"Since Wang has switched from offense to defense, he must have already set up a lot of measures to target us."

"Although most of the government troops in the Fuqiang River Valley are mediocre and no match for our brave warriors from Longyou, they can still inflict heavy casualties on our army by relying on the city walls."

"To avoid these casualties, we need to use some means to blow up this wall."

"Blown down?" Gao Jinda was taken aback and quickly said, "But last night when the soldiers were exploring the area, they said that Wang Shi had ordered the stones to be piled up as a barrier wall, with the stones going several feet into the ground. If our firearms soldiers were to dig it out, it would be very difficult for them."

"I'm afraid that before we can dig a tunnel big enough to blast open, the government troops will burn the shield carts with grease."

Faced with rammed earth and brick walls and stone walls, it took the Longyou firearms soldiers a long time to break through a gap and then bury gunpowder packs.

Although Liu Jilong's shield cart was very effective, it could only last for about half an incense stick's time. After that time, the cowhide on the shield cart would burn out, and the shield cart would be burned through.

For this reason, whenever the Longyou army encountered a city with rammed earth and brick walls, they would usually have catapults smash down some of the bricks to expose the rammed earth walls inside, and then send firearms soldiers to blast open the rammed earth walls.

However, they were now facing a stone wall made entirely of stone. Attacking with catapults would waste a lot of time, so Liu Jilong had no choice but to resort to other methods.

Liu Jilong turned his gaze away and waited for the soldiers to return to the camp.

Time passed little by little, and soon it was midday...

"Uuuuuu——"

"Defend the city!!"

"Beep!"

When the bugle sounded outside the pass, Zhao Qian, who was at the city gate, subconsciously stood up and spoke, the sound of his wooden whistle echoing throughout the pass.

Countless Shence Army infantrymen began to surge onto the city walls. Four hundred men were the first to defend the pass, while the remaining three thousand elite cavalry and more than six thousand infantrymen awaited reinforcements.

As the Shence Army infantry arrived, Zhao Qian slowly raised the crimson command flag in his hand.

Under his gaze, dozens of siege weapons in Longyou began to be pushed by laborers, gradually moving into the distance marked by the crossbow bolts of yesterday.

Just as he was about to wave the command flag, he saw a dozen or so dark figures flash by in the distance. When he realized what was happening, an explosion came from three or four steps away to his side.

"Bam—"

A dozen or so thick crossbow bolts came from the camp of the Longyou army. Seven or eight of them hit the stone wall, the shafts trembling. Several others either pierced the city tower or entered the pass, shooting diagonally into the land inside the pass.

Two particularly unlucky soldiers were pierced by one of the crossbow bolts; the foot-long arrowhead pierced their flesh and pinned them to the ground.

"Uh... I, uh..."

Blood gushed from their mouths and noses. Before the two soldiers could say anything, their eyes rolled back and they collapsed to the ground along the arrow shaft.

This scene shocked the Shence Army infantrymen who were waiting for reinforcements, and Wang Shi felt cold sweat trickling down his forehead.

"The entire army shall retreat fifty paces!"

Without hesitation, Wang Shi ordered all soldiers to retreat immediately.

During this period, the government troops and the Longyou army used winch crossbows and triple-bow crossbows to conduct long-range interference against each other.

The government troops' crossbow bolts pierced through many cloud chariots, Lu Gong chariots, and nest chariots, but this did not affect their use.

The Longyou army's crossbow bolts mostly hit the pass wall, leaving it riddled with countless crossbow bolts as tall as a person.

A few shots hit people, but the number of casualties was very limited.

"put!"

"Bang bang bang-"

The crossbow bolts continued to rain down on the enemy lines, and many of the Longyou army's laborers were also unlucky enough to be hit, their bodies seemingly torn apart.

The scene sent chills down the spines of countless people, yet the laborers still gritted their teeth and pushed the siege engines forward.

Gradually, the two sides closed in on each other. The laborers of the Longyou army entered within a hundred paces of the pass wall, and fifty paces ahead was the protective moat that Wang Shi had ordered to be dug.

This river connects to the Wei River, is two zhang wide, and is a hundred paces long from east to west.

Despite its obstruction, the laborers continued to advance, and the number of dead and wounded grew ever greater.

From a dozen or so to dozens, and then to nearly a hundred, many soldiers in Longyou watched helplessly as laborers were shot to death, their anger surging within them.

"General, why didn't you pour molten iron onto the front of the shield carts? Even if it didn't provide adequate protection, there wouldn't have been so many casualties!"

Zhang Wu couldn't help but speak up, but Liu Jilong remained calm: "The shield carts can't stop it..."

That being said, only Liu Jilong himself knew that the deaths and injuries of the laborers were also part of his scheme.

There are always casualties in a siege, but if casualties are inevitable, he would rather it be laborers who die, for the deaths of laborers would ignite the anger in the hearts of the soldiers.

Anger needs to be vented, and anger builds up morale...

"boom!!"

The laborers began pushing siege engines closer to the moat, and the government troops on the gate began firing crossbows at the laborers.

After some basic training, 70% of the laborers carried wooden shields, while the remaining 30% assembled the aqueducts from the supply wagons, dragged them off the ground, and pulled them toward the moat.

The bridge plunged into the moat, which was only two zhang wide, making the four-zhang wide bridge seem extremely narrow.

The bridge was successfully erected on the other side, and countless laborers began to whistle and retreat.

"Attack!"

"Uuuuuu——"

At Liu Jilong's command, the infantry of the Longyou army formed a curved formation, advancing towards the siege equipment in three tiers.

Along the way, they saw the laborers who had died tragically, and their anger rose within them.

Their anger was provoked by Liu Jilong. In order to avoid the government troops' crossbows, they spread out in groups and advanced. On the way, they experienced a round of crossbow attacks, resulting in the deaths and injuries of more than ten soldiers, which further fueled their anger.

"what is that?"

Standing in front of the gate tower, Zhao Qian watched as the rebel army drove the supply wagons forward, one of which was loaded with a section of tree trunk. He was completely bewildered.

The winch crossbow began its second round of firing, and more than ten soldiers from Longyou were killed on the battlefield.

At this moment, the Longyou army had already rushed to the other side of the moat and began to push siege equipment across the river to attack.

The elite troops from Longyou who used the siege towers were the cheapest. They climbed to the top of the siege towers and began to suppress the government troops on the city gate with their bows and crossbows.

Seeing this, the government troops also took up bows and crossbows to fire back, while the winch crossbows were fired from time to time.

At the same time, seven or eight shield carts crashed into a section of the stone wall, but stopped after only one impact. The remaining cloud carts and Lu Gong carts then attached themselves to the parapet, releasing ladders and hanging platforms.

The soldiers of the Longyou army began to scale the city walls and fight, while Zhao Qian immediately ordered the infantry of the Shence Army to use stones, rolling logs, and lit with molten rock to defend against the enemy.

Even though the shield carts didn't move, the Shence Army soldiers didn't ignore it. Instead, they poured a bucket of grease on them and then set the shield carts on fire with torches.

The two sides fought fiercely on the city walls, while at the same time, several Shence Army infantrymen in a corner inside the city gate also made a move.

"Young Guardian, the rebels are digging a tunnel!!"

The officer in the distance quickly spoke up to remind him, and Wang Shi, who was behind, hurriedly rode his horse to the scene. He saw a large vat buried in the ground in front of the officer, and several soldiers inside the vat were listening to the walls of the vat to determine whether the enemy was using a tunnel attack.

Faced with the rebels' tunnel attack, Wang Shi calmly ordered: "Tell Zhao Bingma Shi this situation and let him determine the direction the rebels are digging. You then lead another group of men to dig multiple pits along this direction, pile up firewood and lint, and wait for the rebels to break through before setting them on fire!"

"Your subordinate obeys!" The colonel readily agreed and then dispatched a flag bearer to inform Zhao Qian of the rebels' digging and attacking.

Upon learning this, Zhao Qian immediately led his men to search along the city wall, repelling the rebel soldiers who climbed it as they searched.

Soon, Zhao Qian locked his attention on the location of the dozen or so shield carts, because he did not see any soldiers emerge from the carts. Instead, they were hiding inside the carts amidst the flames and did not appear.

Once the target was found, the officers in the city immediately led more than two hundred men to dig a pit in the pass opposite the shield cart, piled up firewood, sprinkled it with grease, and prepared to ignite it at any time to attack the rebels with fire and smoke.

While they waited, hundreds of soldiers from Longyou dismounted from their shield carts and retreated.

Meanwhile, the artillerymen transporting the tree trunks in supply wagons worked in groups of seven or eight, dragging the heavy trunks into the shield wagons.

"Keep throwing the tar and light the torches, don't give them any chance to take advantage!!"

Zhao Qian immediately gave the order, and then countless pottery jars filled with petroleum jewels were smashed onto the shield cart, and the fire quickly grew larger.

Hundreds of rebels seemed unable to withstand the temperature inside the shield carts and chose to flee the battlefield, blowing wooden whistles as they fled.

"Beep--"

"Beep--"

"withdraw!!"

As the wooden whistle sounded, the Longyou soldiers, who had been attacking fiercely, withdrew from the battlefield and retreated to their main camp.

Upon seeing this, Zhao Qian immediately assumed that he had led his troops to repel the first attack by the Longyou army.

He looked towards the pass, and Wang Shi also heard the sound of gongs and wooden whistles. He looked down at the soldiers squatting in the vat.

The soldier listened carefully before bowing to Wang Shi and saying, "Young Guardian, the rebels have stopped digging tunnels."

"Okay..." Wang Shi breathed a sigh of relief, but it turned out he was too hasty.

"Boom——"

When the dust suddenly rose, Wang Shi, Zhao Qian and the others went blank. The Shence Army infantry closest to the shield carts felt a sudden weightlessness, and then felt themselves fall to the ground, groaning in pain.

The rising dust swept in all directions, forcing everyone to squint and avoid the gust of wind.

After the strong winds subsided, dust continued to fall, and the entire town was shrouded in dust.

Zhao Qian was so shocked that he instinctively crouched down. As the sensation gradually subsided, he quickly stood up and looked around at the dim surroundings, groping for something and asking, "What happened?!"

"Cough cough..."

"Cough cough cough!!"

All around were coughing sounds and dim, yellowish figures, whose outlines could be roughly discerned.

Zhao Qian thought of the Longyou army's "magical arts," and immediately pushed aside everyone blocking his way, heading towards the place where the rebels had dug the tunnels.

As he approached, he saw that the stone wall was mostly damaged, with a gap more than ten feet long blasted out, leaving only a little over a foot of the foundation intact.

Scattered around the breach were Shence Army infantrymen who had been buried or blown up; some were covered in dust, while others were struggling and calling for help.

"Plug the breach and save them!!"

Zhao Qian spoke up subconsciously, and it was only then that the Shence Army infantry around him noticed that a breach had been blasted into their city wall.

Countless Shence Army infantrymen descended the city wall, attempting to refill the breach with stones, but as they stepped down, they discovered that outlines were gradually emerging in the dim light outside the breach…

"kill--"

The dull footsteps and shouts of battle were approaching. Before they could block the breach, seven or eight Longyou rebels raised their shields and rammed through them, followed by more Longyou rebels rushing into the breach.

"Form ranks!!"

The Shence Army at the breach reacted immediately and formed ranks, attempting to repel the Longyou rebels who had rushed into the pass. However, they were instead overwhelmed and knocked down by the Longyou soldiers who filed in.

"Follow me and push the winch down to plug the breach!"

Seeing the situation spiraling out of control, Zhao Qian reacted the fastest. He led several soldiers to try to push the winch crossbows, and successively pushed several winch crossbows into the gap.

The falling crossbow bolts instantly killed several soldiers from Longyou, but the soldiers who followed immediately used spears or ropes to try to pull the crossbow bolts out of the gaps.

"Let's use our crossbows!"

In a short time, both sides reacted quickly and began exchanging crossbow fire.

The government troops had a commanding position, but they had few bows and crossbows. The Longyou army, looking up at the high ground, was able to suppress the enemy due to their superior numbers and constant use of bows and crossbows.

In a few breaths, the dust gradually dissipated, revealing to both sides thousands of Shence Army infantrymen who had come to their aid, as well as more than a hundred Longyou infantrymen who had rushed into the breach.

Both sides were stunned. The Shence Army infantry were stunned because they didn't know what to do. Their minds were completely blank.

The Longyou army was stunned because their rear was cut off, and in front of them was an enemy force that outnumbered them by dozens of times.

Even though they had already formed ranks, the sheer number of soldiers—one hundred against several thousand—made even the bravest soldiers of Longyou feel fear.

At this moment, Zhang Wu, as the commander of the vanguard team, reacted the fastest. He immediately raised his military spear and slashed it fiercely at the stunned Shence Army infantryman in front of him.

"You damned bastard! The credit for being the first to scale the walls is already in your hands, follow me and kill them all!!"

The silence between the two armies was broken by Zhang Wu's roar. Both sides reacted quickly, and everyone's expressions gradually became distorted.

With Zhang Wu's initial outburst, everyone's expressions twisted like demons from the deepest hell, and they roared ferociously at the enemy in their final moments.

"kill!!"

(End of this chapter)