In my dream of returning to the Tang Dynasty, I snatched Wu Zetian from my lap.

"It's Han Lei! It's Han Lei!!"

Panic spread from the front lines to the main camp of the Tang army in the rear.

Ashina She'er, a renowned general of the Hu people who had spent his life in war, was greatly shocked!

He stared intently through the replica telescope at the bizarre and terrifying explosion beneath Anshi City, where even warhorses were torn to pieces.

Even someone as powerful as him felt a sense of suffocation!

"Chief Steward, they're using those Han Lei again, what should we do?"

"Quickly order the troops to withdraw; we cannot withstand them!" a lieutenant general requested.

Ashina She'er's first reaction was also to withdraw his troops; the casualties were too terrible, with one bomb killing a whole group of people.

But when he came to his senses and thought of something, his face turned ugly, and he clenched his fists and gritted his teeth.

No refunds allowed!

"Anyone who dares to retreat will be killed without mercy!"

"The commander once said that Hanlei (a type of firearm) is made by man, just like a bow and arrow; if it's made by man, it will inevitably run out of power one day!"

"Keep the attack going!"

He issued extremely strict military orders.

Military orders are absolute, and no one dared to disobey them. They could only relay the orders and continue the fierce attack.

This was also the first time the Tang army had launched a truly fierce attack regardless of casualties, marking the first such attack in six months of military conflict.

Zombies have besieged the city walls!

Despite the casualties, the Tang army charged forward and, after paying a price, quickly approached the city walls.

The shouts of battle were deafening, and people were constantly climbing ladders to the clouds.

But this was not a success; it was an entry into the realm of absolute death!

Despite the impressive sight of thousands of arrows being fired just now, the main purpose of the arrows was to slow down the attack rather than to kill, because they were all wearing armor and shields, making it difficult to penetrate them directly.

But it was a different story below the city walls. Lots of logs, boulders, and even boiling oil were being poured down recklessly, which armor could not withstand.

boom!

The boulder smashed into the helmet, and blood gushed out instantly.

Boom...

Click...

Large numbers of Tang soldiers who had climbed the ladder landed.

"ah!!"

Painful and desperate screams emanated from the mouths of thousands, becoming the main theme of the battlefield, causing the sky and earth to lose their color and birds to turn away.

A brutal battle of offense and defense thus began.

The two sides clashed across a steep and thick city wall, with a continuous stream of rolling logs and boulders falling down.

The Tang army, not to be outdone, retaliated with catapults as well.

boom! !

The massive bombardment shook the city walls, and countless soldiers were smashed, their heads bleeding and bones broken.

More and more soldiers were wounded and carried away from the city walls.

Anshi City is engulfed in war. Many houses in the city have been razed to the ground and replaced by huge stones that have been thrown in from outside the city.

"quick!"

"hurry up!"

"Let's send another team over there!"

"Archers!!"

"Where's the frying pan? Where's the frying pan?!"

On the city wall, everything was in a flurry of activity, chaotic yet urgent.

It must be said that the Tang army's offensive momentum was too strong; it's unclear whether it came from the Shuofang army or the Anxi army that had been drawn from elsewhere.

The message Li Yuanchang received was that Li Shimin had dispatched a large number of elite border troops to "suppress the rebellion".

This is like a premature reenactment of the Battle of Xiangji Temple, where the border troops came to quell the rebellion, while the Han army fought to protect itself.

Of course, there is another reason why the battle was so intense.

That means there are very few Han Lei left in Anshi City, only about three hundred in total, and the vast majority of them were used to massacre the Emperor's army in Black Dragon Valley.

The new Hanlei had not yet arrived, so Ashina She'er's forced attack actually seized a window of opportunity.

But their attack remained difficult.

Anshi City is a mountain city from top to bottom, and brute force cannot break through it. The only way is to be the first to climb up and seize the city walls.

They were facing an enhanced version of Anshi City, which was even more difficult than when Li Shimin personally attacked it. Even without gunpowder, they could still suppress the attackers.

Tang troops were repeatedly repelled in their offensive waves, suffering heavy losses. They replaced five vanguard attacking teams in succession, but with little effect.

Time passed, and before anyone knew it, countless corpses had piled up beneath the city walls.

Using the main force in this way is a luxury in any dynasty. Generally speaking, if the attack is unfavorable, the troops would have already retreated.

However, the newly appointed Ashina She'er was under pressure from Li Shimin and had no choice but to launch an attack.

The two sides then entered into a high-intensity, tireless offensive and defensive battle.

There are no shortcuts in brutal siege warfare; it's a life-or-death struggle where one group falls and another takes their place. There is no truce, only rotation.

Whenever the Tang army gained momentum, dozens of Han thunderbolts would fall, instantly suppressing them.

From above, two torrents intertwine, mountains and rivers bleed, arrows blot out the sky, and flames of war soar into the heavens... It's breathtaking!

Under the desperate attacks of the Tang army's border troops, even the Han army, which was on the defensive, suffered considerable casualties, mainly due to the large-scale bombardment by catapults.

If everyone hides, the enemy will climb up, so the only option is to fight back while enduring bombardment.

The two sides fought fiercely until dusk, when the sun had basically set and day was about to give way to night. Only then did the Tang army reluctantly sound the retreat.

The battle lasted all day, resulting in countless deaths and injuries, and the air was thick with the smoke of gunpowder!

The city walls were riddled with holes, and the ground was full of craters, a scene of carnage and bloodshed!

Thick smoke billowed into the sky, intertwining with the afterglow of the setting sun, outlining a scene of carnage.

into the night.

Groans echoed throughout Anshi City, with over 1,700 wounded soldiers in the camp, not counting those with minor injuries.

Numerous torches illuminated the entire city as if it were daytime. Soldiers were busy repairing the city walls and moving defensive equipment, working at high speed to prepare for tomorrow.

"Report!"

"Your Highness, the Tang army has dispatched a large number of wooden carts in the dead of night!"

Upon hearing this, the soldiers tensed up reflexively, thinking it was happening again.

Li Yuanchang calmly replied, "They're here to collect corpses."

"Order the troops on the city walls not to fire arrows, nor to obstruct the enemy!"

"yes!"

In ancient times, and even in later generations, there was an unwritten rule that when two armies fought, they would exchange prisoners and corpses.

Of course, there are also many who lack martial ethics and take advantage of the situation to cause trouble.

However, being a fellow Han Chinese, Li Yuanchang still had to be somewhat considerate.

"Your Highness, the convoy escorting Han Lei has arrived!" At that moment, someone else ran up.

Upon hearing this, Li Yuanchang breathed a sigh of relief.

It's finally arrived!

No matter how fortified Anshi City is, it is not as reliable as gunpowder. In today's battle, the remaining three hundred gunpowder have been completely used up.

"Your Highness, Lady Chi Lian has also come along," the subordinate whispered again.

Li Yuanchang frowned. Why was she here?

Since Chi Lian became a mother, she has basically retired to the second line, and she has never brought female relatives with her during battles, which is the rule.

Is something wrong at home?

Thinking of this, he immediately handed over his affairs and led his men back to the city lord's mansion.