(On the first day of the Lunar New Year, I wish you all a happy New Year. I wish you good luck in the Year of the Pig and everything goes well.) "Master Ma, have you succeeded in getting the city tower?" Sun Dayong rushed to Ma Bin and asked, holding a long knife dripping with blood.
"Then you still need to ask? The turtles and grandsons are just a bunch of rabble." Ma Bin laughed.
"The blood all over your body, could it be that you were injured?" Sun Dayong said.
"It's all the blood of the bandits, it has nothing to do with it. We have to open the city gate immediately, set off a big fire and notify the army to come." Ma Bin said, wiping the blood on his face.
Sun Dayong frowned and said: "Sir, setting a fire may not let the army know that the South City Gate has been occupied by us. After all, this is a temporary thing. I think it is better to send people out of the city to inform. Just now I taught the bandits to warn.
There are more than a dozen religious bandits running away. I estimate that some religious bandits will arrive soon. Without further delay, we must send someone to notify the army immediately."
Ma Bin thought for a moment and nodded: "You're right, Brother Sun has thought carefully. King Huai and others may not know that Nancheng has been destroyed by setting off a big fire, so it's better to send people there. In this way, Brother Sun will go and I will
Bring someone to guard here."
Sun Dayong shook his head and said: "I can't go. I'm not a member of the army. What does it matter if I go? King Huai won't believe me. Just send a brother from the Imperial Army. It would be better to get a horse, but unfortunately there is no one."
"
Ma Bin patted his head and said, "Isn't that right? I think of you as a brother of the Forbidden Army. That's all. Even if I send people to go, I won't go. We have to defend here and we must not lose the city gate."
Ma Bin ordered the city gate to be opened and the suspension bridge to be lowered, and a Forbidden Army soldier was ordered to leave the city and rush to the west city to report the news. The remaining people drove dozens of religious prisoners to carry sandbags and wood to resist the horses, and built fortifications on both sides of the city gate, preparing to defend the city gate.
.
…
Outside the West City, the siege battle was extremely fierce. Under the suicidal attacks of the skitarii and the church members, most of the thirty roller coasters were scrapped. The remaining ten can only serve as towers standing beside the city wall.
With the use of arrow towers, it is impossible to lower the suspension bridge to build a passage to the city. In this case, siege warfare falls back to the traditional siege method of ladders. This method is the most brutal.
From the start of the siege, the siege has not stopped for nearly two hours. All 30,000 imperial troops have been sent up, climbing the city wall in waves, and being pushed back in waves. The casualties on both sides
The numbers skyrocketed, and the number of casualties exceeded 10,000. Up and down the city wall, there were broken limbs and broken arms, and corpses scattered everywhere. Fires were burning everywhere, and arrows were flying everywhere.
At the beginning, the battlefield was still filled with shouts of killing, and screams and groans were everywhere. But soon, the entire battlefield was filled with nothing but the buzzing of arrows, the clash of swords, the heavy breathing of soldiers, and the sound of fire.
Apart from the sound of burning hunting, there was no other sound.
This is actually the most terrifying thing. Can you imagine the scene where tens of thousands of people are on the battlefield, and both sides are locked in hand-to-hand combat, but each one is silent and fighting like a machine? People on both sides are biting.
The teeth were only focused on fighting each other, and the weapons only made a muffled sound when entering the body. It seemed that even the screams of injury were a luxury. This was because everyone had been shocked to the point of numbness by the brutality of the battlefield, and coupled with the fatigue
Their bodies can no longer withstand any exertion, and even shouting requires a lot of energy. They have countless wounds all over their bodies, and they don't know how many attacks they have suffered, so not only their brains are numb, but the senses on their bodies are also numb. Sometimes,
Seeing the sword slashing at his body, it took him a while to realize that it was his own body. The pain in his body had disappeared in the painful suffering.
When fighting reaches a certain level, people are actually not afraid of death. They even prefer to die quickly because it is too torturous and painful. Therefore, when the war reaches a certain level, the gap in combat power has actually begun to arise in this offensive and defensive battle.
It didn't have much of an impact. Even the young and strong people in Yingtian who were forcibly pulled away from the city became terrifying once they lost their fear and awe of death. Stimulated by the tragic atmosphere of the battlefield
, everyone has become like a beast, not caring about their own life or death, and not caring whether they should participate in this battle. They only have their opponents in their eyes, as if only by defeating their opponents can the suffering and pain in front of them end. Therefore
, when the war has progressed to this extent, the gap in combat power between the top and the bottom of the city is actually no longer significant.
Moreover, when the roller coaster failed to function and the war returned to the original siege method, the defending side took a huge advantage. Just like the siege a few days ago, the officers and soldiers were aggressive, but in the end they still could not succeed. Now it is
We were trapped in this endless cycle again, with waves of officers and soldiers being repelled, and then wave after wave of officers and soldiers coming up, and then being repelled again. There was no structure or hope at all, and all that was left was a numb and mechanical attack.
That’s all.
If there is any difference between the current siege and the siege of the past few days, it is only one thing. It is the mood of Huai Wang Guo Xu. Although Guo Xu was annoyed after the siege failed in the past few days, he was not without a way out.
So he didn't pay too much attention. Because he knew that sooner or later the city would be broken, it just took a long time. But now, he had no way out. Guo Xu had made up his mind. Even if he attacked the city today, even if he fought to the death, he would die.
If you fight to the end, you cannot retreat. If you retreat, you will face being replaced, being questioned by your father, your reputation will be ruined, and everything will be over.
Countless wounded soldiers were withdrawn, those with broken arms and legs, those covered in blood and struggling to survive. As long as they were still able to move, they would not be withdrawn. Most of those who were withdrawn had a short life span. Withdrawal
Just out of a sense of humanity. Row after row, the ground was covered behind the battlefield. Thousands of dying wounded soldiers were lying on the ground. This scene was horrifying.
Including the soldiers who have died, the number of casualties has reached 13,000. There are only 16,000 people under the city who are still attacking the city. More than half of them are slightly injured, and the siege is obviously full of stamina.
Not enough, the progress of the siege has lagged behind significantly, the soldiers are exhausted, and there is no hope of capturing the city.
"Your Highness, withdraw your troops. If this continues, the whole army will really be wiped out. Withdraw and rest, find a way to attack again, or... ask the court for help." An aide suggested in a low voice.
To be honest, the advice given by the staff at this time was the most sober and sensible advice, and it was all true. Unfortunately, at this moment, these words sounded like a sarcasm to Guo Xu. And the staff did not know it.
What did the letter from Lu Zhongtian that Guo Xu received say? As soon as he said these words, Guo Xu's already livid face turned as black as the bottom of a pot.
"What did I say before the battle? We will fight to the end tonight. Even if everyone dies, we will capture Yingtian Mansion. If we don't succeed, we will be benevolent. I have already prepared to die. Didn't you hear me?
The king's order?" Guo Xu turned to glare at the staff member and said coldly.
"No, no, no, I heard it, and it was just based on the situation in front of me..." The staff member was frightened to death and hurriedly explained.
"Shut up, don't I know the situation in front of you? I don't have eyes? Are you blatantly ignoring my military orders and saying these words that shake the morale of the army? Even though you have followed me for many years and made suggestions for me,
You have tried your best, but your words at this moment are openly contradicting me. Come on, drag me aside and chop him up." Guo Xu shouted coldly.
"Ah? Your Highness, Your Highness, I was wrong. Spare your life, spare your life." The aide shouted in panic.
"Cut it off!" Guo Xu repeated coldly.
The two guards dragged the staff member away. After a while, the staff member's shouts and begging for mercy suddenly stopped, and a guard came over carrying his bloody head. All the generals and military staff members looked at the head, and everyone was silent.
"Retreat? It's absolutely impossible. I said that today we must either capture the city or we all die here to sacrifice our lives for the country. Whoever says such a thing again, this is what will happen." Guo Xu shouted coldly. He stretched out his hand from the side.
The guard took his spear in his hand.
"Everyone, listen, the number of people attacking the city is insufficient. I have said before that if I need to personally go into battle, I will not hesitate. Now, all of you must follow me to charge and attack the city. Send the order,
The whole army attacks, including the cooks and craftsmen who drive the carts and transport the grain, everyone rushes with me." Guo Xu raised his spear and shouted loudly.
Everyone's face was pale and they thought: King Huai must be crazy. This guy really doesn't want his life. He did say that if the 30,000 troops are not enough to capture the city, he will lead the last 8,000.
People tried to support him, but everyone thought he was just talking. How could you, a prince, risk your life? But he actually did it.
"Gather the team and attack!" Guo Xu shouted loudly.
More than a thousand of King Huai's personal guards and four thousand imperial cavalry shouted in unison. Thousands of old and weak soldiers and craftsmen in the rear who were engaged in camping, cooking and driving carts also had to prepare their weapons and prepare in formation. The prince was determined.
The prince is going to die, and people like him have to follow him to die.
The last of the more than 8,000 men were assembled. Guo Xu got on the big black horse, raised the golden gun in his hand high, and took a breath to give the order to attack. Suddenly, a horse from the flank galloped over and shouted: "Big
General, General, wait a minute, there is an urgent military situation."
Guo Xu frowned and shouted, "What's the matter?"
The man on the horse was a cavalry officer in the flanking defensive formation. He galloped over, dismounted from his saddle and saluted: "General, a brother of the Forbidden Army who followed Ma Bin into the city rushed back to report that Ma Bin captured Nancheng.
City gate, please ask the general to send cavalry into the city from the south city immediately."
"What?" Guo Xu was so shocked that he almost jumped up from his horse. He almost forgot that the man named Ma Bin led people into the city to cause trouble.
"Ma Bin captured the South City Gate? How is that possible?" Guo Xu shouted.
"It's absolutely true. The brother who reported the report is in front. He was exhausted from running all the way. He said that Ma Bin led them to kill more than 200 religious bandits guarding the city, and now controls the city gate. But the religious bandits in the city have been
If you are alarmed, you may not be able to defend for too long, so please send the troops immediately. Otherwise, you may fail." The cavalrymen all shouted.
"What a good Ma Bin, he really has some tricks up his sleeve. Hahaha, the sky is really boundless for me. General Wu, you are here to supervise the battle and siege the city. You can't relax for a moment. All the cavalry follow me to the south gate. Set off immediately." Guo Xu
Pat the horse and run away.
"General, be careful, beware of fraud." Several generals shouted. They didn't believe this. How could the few people Ma Bin brought with him be able to capture a city gate? It's unbelievable.
"Is there a scam? Do you think that in the current situation, the bandits still need to use such a scam? A bunch of idiots." Guo Xu dropped a curse word and galloped out on his horse. Four thousand cavalry followed closely behind, galloping south.
