The Emperor ordered Zhao Tang

Chapter 347 Destroying Liang (Part Two)

The fierce battle at Tongguan had reached a point where it resembled two half-dead people struggling to survive.

“Dong dong dong dong…” The drums beat incessantly.

Both Zhu Dalang and the military officials had reached their limit in their tolerance for being stuck at the Tongguan fortress.

The news that Yang Shouliang, the military governor of Shaanxi and Guo, who had originally been observing the conflict from the sidelines, was now secretly deploying troops behind the scenes, stirred a sense of foreboding in Yuan Zheng, Xu Huaiyu, and their ilk. The words of the defeated soldiers at Wuguan—that the King of Wu was going to march straight on Bianliang—might actually be true!

With the Western Army's strong cavalry, this fellow might already be in Luoyang by now.

This further solidified their decision to use their main force of warriors to join the attack on the city.

These troops have probably lost their support and escape route; if they don't enter the pass, they will have no basis for survival.

In any case, there is only one path left—enter the pass and go to Beijing!

Regardless of how precious the killing materials were to Bianfu at this time, the military officers and soldiers in the past few days have been leading them wave after wave without any scruples, desperately digging holes, trenches, and scaling walls in the forbidden ditches and under the stockade walls, like moths to a flame, like ants throwing their lives away.

The defense of Zhaigou was finally crumbling in this meat grinder. Of the 20,000 armored soldiers who remained, more than half had been killed. The middle and lower-ranking officers, regardless of whether they were noblemen, royalty, or former members of the Bian, Qi, or Jin armies, these core members were almost entirely wiped out.

Given the heavy casualties suffered by the defending samurai, it is easy to imagine the total number of people lost on both sides.

After a fierce battle, on February 11th, they finally succeeded, hollowing out the foundation of the stone fortress, which was blocked by the moat. They then filled it with kerosene, firewood, and gunpowder, setting the fortress ablaze.

The stone fortress walls seemed to have exhausted their strength in the repeated bloody battles, and under the repeated expansion and contraction of heat, they collapsed almost silently.

Both those on and below the city walls stared intently at the scene before them.

After a long while, the Bian army, who had survived countless battles, raised their arms and shouted: "Chang'an! Chang'an!"

"Kill Fu Cunshen and clear the forbidden moat!"

First it was the city walls, then everyone joined in the shouting.

The Bian army generals also threw down their long spears from the pile of corpses, tore off their helmets, ripped off their headbands and outer armor, raised their steel swords with both hands, and shouted hysterically: "Take down the city! Take down the city! Close combat! Let's meet with blades drawn! Seize Shibao City, and the main army will follow! We'll storm the capital, loot Guanzhong, and burn the imperial city! The whole Qin Chuan is waiting to be slaughtered and plundered! This boundless joy is all ours! If you want to have fun, come with us!"

"Fighting is great! Fighting is great!" A swarm of Bian soldiers tore off their headbands, their hair disheveled, and raised their steel swords.

Xu Huaiyu suddenly leaped out of the trench, already climbing the ladder, only managing to shout, "Capture the city! Capture the city!"

No prompting was needed; all the Bian soldiers were shouting the same thing: "Seize the city!"

The Bian army once again charged towards the city, and the ruins, filled with screams and chaos, were in complete disarray. The guard officer, Du Qilang, shouted at the top of his lungs, "Fight! Fight..."

Before he could finish speaking, an arrow pierced the air and struck Du Qilang's mouth, nailing his head heavily into the ruins behind him.

"Capture the city! Capture the city!" The deafening drumbeats roused the chaotic defenders, and a rain of arrows immediately poured down, with figures emerging from the ruins.

The Bian army stumbled and staggered through the rocks as they approached.

Fu Cunshen faced the swarming Bian army, their faces flushed and almost purple with excitement. He had no choice but to retreat. He was like a small boat adrift on the raging waves, helpless and constantly on the verge of being swallowed up.

Hu Rui and a group of laborers overturned more than a dozen large cauldrons on a dilapidated tower in a corner of Shibao City.

Boiling excrement and animal carcass oil poured down, thickly overflowing in the dust.

They grabbed the still-burning brazier and poured oil into it.

When the corpse oil came into contact with fire, it burst into flames with a "boom," and then one after another, it ignited the accumulated food and supplies.

The raging flames instantly illuminated the entire stone fortress and the cliffs on both sides, turning them crimson.

Fu Cunshen stumbled about aimlessly amidst the flames and black smoke, only responding to the sounds of the enemy formation. He was truly like a leaf caught in the raging wind, disoriented by the smoke and fire, and swept along by the howling crowd, spinning in circles.

The defending troops retreated and scattered.

“Squeak, squeak…” From the village gate behind the stone fortress, came the sickening sound of a winch.

The gate of the village slowly opened.

Upon seeing the gates open, the routed defenders of the stone fortress quickened their pace to regroup.

The door closes and then opens again, opening wider and wider.

Suddenly, someone slowed down.

"Fighting is exhilarating! Fighting is exhilarating!" Guo Meng and Geng Tong, the garrison commanders of the stronghold who had come from Wuguan a few days ago, were leading five thousand soldiers through the stronghold gate in a steady stream, assembling and lining up at the foot of the stronghold wall. They were slashing deserters across the face with the backs of their swords.

Behind the village, shouts of battle could be heard, and the remaining troops from other villages were also arriving as reinforcements.

"Boom boom boom!" The war drums thundered in the forbidden ditch.

The gates of Dazhai Village are now completely open.

The ground beneath the wall was already teeming with countless iron spears, their sharp points gleaming in the sunlight. The officers and ministers, their eyes bloodshot, bared their teeth and shouted, "Civil and military fortune! Everlasting prosperity! Street fighting! Street fighting! Slaughter all the people of Bian! March to Bianliang and wash them in blood! Burn the city, set the mountains ablaze! Hold back Zhu Dalang, the Emperor will arrive soon, this place will still be ours! This Qin land, this world, will all be ours in the future! Hold back the Bian army, fight right here beneath the wall! This battle isn't over! I won't stop until I see the Zhu family wiped out!"

On this side was the Bian Army, a massive, dark mass of troops desperately gathering as they crossed the sea of ​​fire, raising clouds of dust and smoke.

Seize the city! Seize the city!
Xu Huaiyu pointed his steel blade and shouted fiercely, "Slay our way through! The world will be ours! Slay our way through! Kill Fu Cunshen! We'll march to the capital tomorrow!"

The officers turned around and shouted, "Form ranks! Form ranks! Prepare for a regimental battle!"

"What are you still yelling about! Spread out! The Western Army is right in front of us!"

The large groups of Bian soldiers scattered, shouting and crawling through the sea of ​​fire.

In an instant, their shouts were drowned out by a cacophony of shouts: "Shoot Xu Huaiyu! Shoot arrows! Throw spears!"

Xu Huaiyu, disheveled and covered in flames, was the first to emerge from the inferno. He saw a large contingent of soldiers in red and blue uniforms standing in the sunlight, with the infantry at the front leaning back and sideways, drawing their bows and nocking arrows, unleashing a barrage of spears and arrows that blotted out the sky!

"Clang, clang, clang..." The main force soldiers gripped their spears with both hands, thrusting into a horizontal stance, their spearheads pointing forward at the main force of the Bian army: "Hah!"

Swift as the wind, moving as thunder, immovable as a mountain, and aggressive as fire!
Behind Xu Huaiyu, the large contingent of Bian troops continued their boisterous clamor. Atop the stockade walls, the drums beat slowly: "Dong, dong, dong..."

Guo Meng removed his armor and went into battle shirtless.

"Roar! Roar! Roar! Xingguo, punish the rebels!" The military ministers behind them struck their shields with their swords: "How glorious is the Holy Tang! Righteousness lies with the Western Army!"

May the emperor's virtues be revealed and the Tang dynasty preserved; may righteous troops be raised in the western army!
"Damn it!" These were the only words the Bian army general cursed.

The sheer military might and imposing presence stunned them. None of the Bian soldiers who had leaped out of the inferno rushed forward first. Instead, regaining their composure, they stopped at the front line and shouted from the sides, "Form ranks! Line up! Hand-to-hand combat!"

…………

The rumbling armored vehicles swept over the dilapidated village inside Tongguan City.

After the Bian Army brigade had been deployed for more than ten days, Wang Congxun, Ding Hui, Chen Xiong, and Zheng Yanchang managed to hold on.

The remaining arrows of the Bian army rained down on the stockade relentlessly, almost without pause. Many soldiers emptied several quivers of arrows in a single day, their thumbs raw and bleeding from the pulled string!

Wang Congxun's figure was always seen moving around the village.

This village, that village.

He seemed like a robot, just running around the village entrance.

Yuan Zheng led a troop of yamen soldiers, chasing after him and Zheng Yanchang, shooting arrows from their left and right, trying to catch them off guard.

In such a chaotic battle, how could anyone escape unscathed? Wang Congxun's heavy armor had long since been riddled with countless arrows. Some had pierced his armor, some hadn't. But he remained unfazed, simply shouting orders for a fierce battle!
By now, both the Han and non-Han defenders know that the day the fortress falls will most likely be the day the city is massacred.

All that remains is a fight to the death!

After all, the Marquis of Changshan and the Prime Minister had repeatedly assured that the Emperor had already subdued the Tibetans and was on his way back, not far from Chang'an! And the fact that the King of Wu had attacked Bianliang was already widely known in the army.

After days of attack and defense, the Han and non-Han defenders fought desperately, utilizing the fortified village.

After briefly repelling the enemy, they selected the remaining warriors who could still fight to leap off the wall and risk their lives to burn the heavy siege weapons that posed the greatest threat to the stronghold. But no matter how they fought back, even more Bian troops surged forward like a tidal wave!
The Bian army, in a chaotic frenzy, held up their large shields and braced themselves against the wall.

Buckets of boiling water were poured down, dripping through the cracks, scalding the Bian soldiers until their skin was torn and bleeding. They cursed angrily, but dared not let go.

Beneath the wall, several siege ladders that had been cut down collapsed, and the swarming Bian soldiers fell to the ground, only managing to gather around the nearest shields.

Zhu Dalang had already personally rushed to the foot of the stockade wall.

Apart from a pair of trousers, he was wearing nothing but hoes, desperately digging and excavating the city walls with his trusted officers and men.

During the previous offensive and defensive operations, the base of the wall had long been dug into a pit resembling a rat's nest. Wang Congxun would always send people down with ropes at night to fill it in, but such temporary reinforcement was obviously not as solid as rammed earth that had been built up over many years. At this time, Zhu Dalang went on a frenzied digging spree.

Everyone was covered in mud, just like a sow, and Zhu Dalang was no exception.

He stuck his buttocks high in the air, half his body submerged in the pit, constantly trying to find leverage. Teams of officers and soldiers crowded around him, digging together, some standing, some sitting, using bamboo baskets, some scooping soil with their hands, and throwing it out.

The shield formations protecting them were smashed and dented here and there, and basins of boiling water and excrement were poured down one after another, splashing everyone's faces and bodies, burning them and making them scream and curse at the village, but no one slowed down their work.

"Hmph, hmph!" Zhu Dalang was sweating profusely, his bare, muscular upper body looking as if he had just taken a bath, just panting heavily. At the top of the stockade stood a cunning man. Most of the Bian army officers recognized him; it was General Ding Hui, the loyal and righteous general.

He crouched behind the battlements, bow in hand, shooting arrows through the gaps to steal people, all the while pleading, "Young master, young master! Turn back before it's too late! Wouldn't it be better to become a loyal subject of the Holy Tang Dynasty together? Would Uncle Ding lie to you?"

Or, enraged and humiliated, he would curse: "Zhu Dalang! You're shameless! If you're a real man, don't waste your soldiers' lives. Tell the army to retreat, and I'll come down here and fight you one-on-one against the wall!"

During this time, other soldiers from Bianjing who had entered the capital expressed their sincere sentiments: "My brothers, turn back! We are all brothers, why kill each other like this! Kill the eldest son and surrender, and the Emperor will have whatever you want! The Empress Dowager will be there to support us in the court! She is extremely favored!"

"Brother, let's rebel together!"

Zhu Dalang personally took to the field, leading his trusted confidants who had remained silent until now, and they dug and dug with all their might against the wall.

The stockade wall is inherently unstable; once a connection is made and water is allowed to enter, it is easy for it to collapse due to the dryness!
Ding shouted, while his Lingxia tribe soldiers just ran around aimlessly, trying to scatter the ants below.

.........

"Brother! Brother! Come out quickly! The wall is shaking!"

Liu Chongxin crawled into the earthen cave, soil cascading down his head. A fist pounded on a pile, causing it to wobble slightly; even the foundation stones trembled like this, indicating the city's foundation was already shaken and could collapse at any moment!
Zhu Dalang seemed completely oblivious, continuing to throw soil frantically without uttering a word.

"Big Brother!" Liu Chongxin pulled hard.

"Why are you pulling me?!" Zhu Dalang turned his head to the side, looking extremely fierce: "Go back! Supervise the formation and guard against Wang Congxun's counterattack from the camp!"

Liu Chongxin had been following Zhu Dalang since childhood; the two were the same age.

"Don't be foolish!" He ignored Zhu Da and grabbed Zhu Dalang's leg, pulling him out: "The wall is shaking! Dalang, what are you doing staying in there! You go and take charge, I'll dig!"

"Screw you!" There wasn't much to command; the soldiers were as adept at the details of combat as if it were eating and drinking. Zhu Dalang kicked him away, throwing a handful of dirt at him: "Get out! I know my own life is precious, and I know when to come out! To succeed, you have to be more willing to risk your life than others! You go do your own thing, I'm still here! Old dog Ding won't sit idly by and watch us dig through; they don't have many strongholds left to fight!"

Indeed, there are only a few villages left.

By this point in the battle, Ding Hui's troops had also suffered heavy casualties.

If they hadn't been terrified by the Lingxia campaign, these Tanguts and Lingzhou barbarians would probably have already rebelled and fled.

The Bian army disregarded human lives, attacking day and night, leaving little fortifications remaining.

The sage that Ding Tuanlian and the Prime Minister had spoken of was still nowhere to be seen. They had finally received reinforcements from the King of Wu, but after defeating Gao Jichang, they marched on Luoyang and Bianliang.

I really don't know how sages fight wars!

The dead end is right in front of us; it's just a matter of how we die.

Zheng Yanchang, who was infected with the plague, paced back and forth, coughing up blood as he confidently boosted morale: "The Emperor has already passed Weizhou and will arrive soon! That little bastard Zhu Dalang, even his father was beaten to a pulp by the Emperor, are we afraid of him? Hold on for two more days, and the King of Wu will have already seized Bianliang! Without the Emperor behind us, how dare the King of Wu go to Bianliang? Think about this! Once we take the Central Plains, everyone who contributes ten strings of cash for rice, oil, and cloth will receive it! Those who want to move inland, I'll give them household registration, let them marry women, and distribute land!"

He spoke eloquently and confidently, but deep down he sensed a dead end.

Even if that little beast Zhu Dalang were to kill him, it would be better than the shame of the fall of the Tang Dynasty!
The Tang Dynasty may perish, but it absolutely cannot accept that it perished while it was still alive, or that it perished right before its eyes.

"Push the Prime Minister away!" came a shout from behind. Turning around, he saw Chen Xiong, his face covered in sores, panting heavily with every step, only able to support his son Chen Kang.

"Why did Commander Chen come up here? As I said, Commander Chen should just focus on recuperating."

Chen Xiong's condition was serious, and coupled with the pressure of war and repeated battle injuries, he was able to survive only because of his extraordinary physical strength.

He glanced at Zheng Yanchang, then at the Bian Army in the ant-shaped mound, stared at Zhu Dalang digging the hole, and finally pressed his ear against the wall to listen to the digging noises below. He sneered, "What kind of illness is this? We're born to be fed in five tripods, and we'll die cooked in five tripods. Do you think I'll be like the old marshal, lying on my couch waiting for a rope to be put around my neck, or waiting in my villa for my subordinates to rebel and behead me? We people don't have a peaceful life. We were born into this world, all preparing for this day."

"That damned Zhu Dalang is truly vicious." He said a few words before running out of breath.

After pausing for a few moments, he straightened up and shouted, "Besides, we're not in despair yet! My daughter, Achen, is kind and compassionate; she will never abandon me. And the Emperor is not a king who would betray his generals and ministers. Smash Zhu Dalang to death against the wall! The Emperor will arrive! The Emperor will arrive!"

He coughed heavily a few times, then waved his hand at Chen Kang: "Second Brother! Give the order to select brave warriors. We'll have a hand-to-hand combat when we fall down the city walls! You lead the team and kill two of those little Zhu traitors!"

"Yes!" Chen Kang turned and left.

Zheng Yanchang's expression was ashen. He looked at Chen Xiong, then at Ding Hui, and then gazed westward, beyond the misty Guanzhong Plain.

My sage king, my sage king, where have you gone?
We have reached a dead end!
You will come to the rescue in time! You will come to the rescue in time!
…………

On the earthen mound outside Tongguan City, Zhu Dalang's command flag fluttered faintly.

The retreating Bian army gathered together, discussing military affairs and food and drink in a noisy manner.

Before the water had even boiled, a group of black dots appeared on the distant Niutou Plain, galloping towards them. When they got closer, everyone saw that it was a group of mule riders in a panic, answering questions as they rushed over.

Even from a distance, you could see the panic they were showing.

The Bian soldiers who were resting on the mound all stood up and asked, "Where did you come from?"

The mule riders didn't respond. After finding out Zhu Dalang's location, they ran towards him while shouting, "Che!"

"Urgent news! Urgent news!"

"The King of Wu has entered Tokyo, and we have been defeated! Our supply lines have been cut off!"

"The Wu King's army is marching towards Bianliang!"

"Urgent report! Urgent report..."

The chaotic army erupted in a great uproar.

Damn it, that damned King Wu really went to attack Bianliang?
The royal army has gone! The royal army has actually gone! The royal army has really come!
The Bian soldiers on the mound, especially those whose homes were in Bianliang, all looked increasingly grim, their hands gripping their swords, their teeth clenched, and their eyes bulging.

…………

At the foot of the stockade wall, the mule-riding army dismounted and hurried to find Zhu Dalang.

The generals looked at each other with grave expressions.

Although they all lowered their voices, the buzzing of discussion still continued.

"Luoyang...King Wu has taken control of Luoyang...The main force is heading to Bianliang!"

How to do how to do?
The King of Wu headed straight for Bianliang. Upon seeing him appear, most of the local garrisons would likely believe that the situation had reversed and would send troops to cooperate in attacking Bianliang!
Now the army is far away, and military supplies and equipment are almost gone.

Without its rear, how long can the army hold out?

The army is about to run out of food. Are they going to survive on meat?

Even though everyone was prepared to gamble everything, the discussion still escalated, and the initial shared hatred turned into complaints: "Why did we have to be so determined to follow Dalang and do such a thing? The Emperor hates the Zhu family, the father and son, and die-hard traitors like Yuan Zheng and Pang Shigu. If we just surrendered, we would be no worse off than Wang Yanzhang. Now we're trapped here, unable to get in, and losing everything if we retreat!"

"Let's just break up this whole gang and go our separate ways. I'm really fed up with this!"

“If Sun Ru can travel to Jiangnan, so can we.”

"Cai is crazy and can't outsmart the Southerners, but we're clever and can crush Yang Xingmi with just two fingers!"

"I feel there won't be any miracles. We really can't outmaneuver the Li family. Fate is indeed still on the shoulders of the Holy Tang Dynasty... Who can shake it?"

Inside the earthen cave, Zhu Dalang lay prone on the dirt road, staring intently at the earthen wall in front of him. He didn't listen to the soldiers' discussions.

He just kept slapping himself, gritting his teeth and muttering, "I don't understand... I don't understand! How dare the King of Wu send a small force straight to the Central Plains... Aren't they afraid that Niu Cunjie and Wang Jingrao will wipe them out? Bianliang is a big city, how can he be confident that he can take it? The eastward advance is just a feint! My judgment of the situation has never been wrong!"

Several of his trusted men rushed in: "Brother! What do we do? They're arguing!"

"We're short on supplies and have run out of arrows. This damned Tongguan Pass is still impenetrable. Let's go! We can head south and conquer territory in Hunan, Jiangnan, and Lingnan!"

"Go back and guard the house, Dalang!"

"What's the use of guarding a bird's nest!" Zhu Dalang snapped out of his daze, shook off the officers who were holding him, and crawled out of the burrow. "What use is a nest? It's been given away!"

"A miracle is right before our eyes, Chang'an is just behind the village, victory is just around the corner! Once you cross this mountain, you will see the capital!"

"If you want me to give up my current career, you might as well just kill me!"

"Those who are to guard their homes may leave immediately, each of you go back to guard your homes!"

"I won't keep it! I don't want it!"

The ministers' faces turned ashen, and they remained silent.

Zhu Dalang's heart pounded. He gave a cold laugh, circled the crowd, picked up his armor, put it on, and charged out of the crowd in a few strides. Armed with a sword, he rushed towards the fiercely fighting gate: "I refuse to believe that I can't take down Emperor Li's bunch of lackeys and rabble! If you're a true hero, follow me!"

Li Ye, Li Ye, you make things so difficult for the feudal lords, and even your son is my enemy, Zhu Youyu!

In this life, we will fight to the death!
I feel like there's no chance of a miracle...

There won't be any miracles?

What was the life that this person, who had been forced to serve the old traitor, fought fiercely against the two Zhus, subdued Xuzhou, and rebelled against Zhu and Li, had fought so hard for?
(End of this chapter)