The defending general, Ali Gua, is over fifty years old, with graying temples, but his eyes are still as sharp as an eagle's.
He was one of the few generals in the Northern Di army who was good at defending cities and was very experienced.
Changzhou City was high and deep, with sturdy brick walls; he had long since made the city's defenses as solid as an iron barrel.
Faced with the relentless offensive of the Fengtian Army, Ali calmly commanded and made the most of his limited forces.
General Zhang Hong of the Fengtian Army organized several strong attacks.
Huge ladders were erected one after another on the city wall, and the brave Fengtian soldiers, shields on their heads, climbed upwards despite the rain of arrows and rolling logs and rocks.
On the city walls, the Northern Di soldiers and the surrendered troops who were forced to assist in the defense used spears to stab and hack with knives and axes, and occasionally poured boiling hot oil and molten gold down on them.
A series of shrill screams erupted from below the city walls as scalded soldiers tumbled and fell, a truly gruesome sight.
"Fire arrows! Suppress the city walls!"
Zhang Hong was shouting hoarsely from behind.
The archers of the Fengtian Army fired their arrows upwards with all their might, and the arrows flew densely onto the battlements, with defenders falling to the ground from time to time.
However, the parapets and arrow towers on the city walls provided excellent cover, and the defenders retaliated with accurate archery, resulting in casualties on both sides.
Yang Yan, in the central command tent, listened to the deafening battle cries from the front and the constant stream of casualty reports, his face grave.
He hadn't expected Ali to be so difficult to deal with, or Changzhou to be so tough to crack.
The news that Zhao Muyun had gone to Xuanzhou four days later was like a thorn stuck in his heart.
With each passing day, the pressure on him increased.
"How's the tunnel excavation going?" Yang Yan asked the engineering commander beside him.
"Reporting to the commander, we have dug to the base of the city wall, but... but the garrison seems to have noticed us. Last night they sent assassins out of the city to sabotage us, resulting in many casualties and hindering our progress."
Yang Yan frowned.
The direct assault resulted in heavy casualties, and the tunnels were discovered, leading to a stalemate in the battle.
He walked up to the map, his gaze deep and unfathomable.
This cannot continue; we must break the deadlock as soon as possible.
"Issue the order to halt the large-scale siege. Mobilize all catapults and concentrate bombardment on the section of the city wall at the west gate of Changzhou! Day and night, without stopping!"
He decided to use the most cumbersome but also most effective method: relying on absolute troop superiority and long-range strike capability, to forcefully break through Changzhou's defenses.
At the same time, he summoned his trusted confidants again and whispered his instructions:
"Send a secret letter to Jiannan Circuit to inquire about General Yang Chao's preparations. Also, send someone to try to contact Youzhou City... Do not go through normal channels, but look for those... money-grubbing merchants or disgruntled officials who have surrendered."
The confidant felt a chill run down his spine, vaguely understanding the commander's intentions. He dared not ask any further questions and accepted the order to leave.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
