The first wave of attacks has begun!
Tens of thousands of Fengtian infantrymen, under the cover of shields, pushed battering rams and ladders, surging towards the walls of Youzhou like a tide.
On the city wall, Wuzhu personally supervised the battle, and the Northern Di soldiers and surrendered troops poured down the rolling logs, stones, hot oil, and molten gold that they had prepared beforehand, like a torrential rain!
The fierce battle of attack and defense quickly escalated to a fever pitch.
Fengtian soldiers were constantly being hit and burned, falling from the ladders with screams. The battering rams struggled to move forward under the dense barrage of arrows and stones, and were occasionally ignited by oil, turning into raging torches.
A layer of corpses quickly piled up beneath the city walls, and the blood stained the frozen soil at the base of the walls.
The Fengtian Army's catapults also began to unleash their power, with huge stone projectiles crashing down on the city walls with a piercing whistle. Each hit caused bricks to shatter and casualties among the defenders.
The archers on the balustrade exchanged fire with the defenders on the city wall, their arrows weaving into a dense web of death in the air.
The battle lasted from dawn to dusk. The Fengtian Army launched several large-scale assaults, all of which were stubbornly repelled by the defenders, resulting in heavy casualties, but no substantial breakthrough was achieved.
The walls of Youzhou city resembled a monstrous beast that devoured lives with indifference.
The battle was called to a halt.
The Fengtian Army retreated like a tide, leaving behind a scene of devastation and thousands of corpses.
Inside the central command tent, Yang Yan listened to the reports of casualties, his face so gloomy it could drip water.
The first day of the attack made him directly realize just how tough Youzhou was.
"General, Youzhou's defenses are strong, and the garrison is putting up a fierce resistance. A direct assault may not be a good strategy," the experienced and prudent Zhang Hong advised.
"If we don't launch a strong attack, are we supposed to besiege them?" another general retorted. "Zhao Muyun is still behind enemy lines. If we can't break through the city soon, and something happens to him, or Wuzhu gathers reinforcements to attack from both inside and outside, our army will be in grave danger!"
Yang Yan rubbed his temples and said in a deep voice, "Continue the siege! Attack day and night, in shifts! I want to see how long Wuzhu can hold out! Send orders to the rear to conscript more laborers and speed up the transport of grain and equipment!"
He chose the cruelest and most direct method: to use the lives of Fengtian soldiers to deplete the strength of the Youzhou garrison.
He believed that in the face of an absolute disparity in strength, any scheme would be futile.
However, just as the fierce battle for Youzhou was raging, a secret report from the rear, delivered by an confidant in a flustered manner, was delivered to Yang Yan's tent.
Yang Yan unfolded the secret report, and after just one glance, his pupils suddenly contracted, and his face instantly turned ashen!
The secret report did not come from the rear in Hebei, but from Jiannan Road, and was written by his nephew Yang Chao.
The letter was concise yet powerful, each word like a thunderclap:
"Uncle, three days ago, your nephew mobilized 50,000 elite troops, marched out of the Ziwu Valley, and launched a surprise attack on Xijing."
"The initial battle has been a success, with several key fortresses at the Ziwu Valley Pass breached and thousands beheaded. The army is now at the gates of Wannian, a major town south of Xijing!"
"However, Lin Feng, the general of the Yin Army, put up a fierce resistance and held the city firmly, making it difficult to capture quickly."
"I heard that my uncle is hunting with Zhao Muyun in Youzhou. If we can restrain or severely damage Zhao Muyun's main force, the morale of the Xijing garrison will be thrown into chaos, and defeating them will be as easy as turning one's hand!"
"Time waits for no one, I urge you, Uncle, to make a swift decision!"
Damn, that was too impulsive!
Unexpectedly, Yang Chao made his move ahead of time!
Moreover, they have already breached the Ziwu Pass.
This completely disrupted Yang Yan's plans.
He originally planned to wait until the battle in Youzhou was at its most intense, and Zhao Muyun was trapped behind enemy lines and unable to escape, before having Yang Chao launch a fatal attack.
However, Yang Chao acted prematurely without authorization. Although he achieved initial success, Xijing was clearly not so easy to capture.
If the war drags on, Zhao Muyun will receive the news and will surely lead his troops back to reinforce. At that time, Yang Yan will face a pincer attack from both the Northern Barbarians and the Hedong Army, and the consequences will be unimaginable!
"Idiot! You've ruined my plans!"
Yang Yan was so angry that he almost tore the secret report to shreds, and roared in a low voice.
The core generals inside the tent all turned pale upon hearing this.
"General, what do we do now? Yang Jiedu's surprise attack on Xijing can't be kept secret for long. Once Zhao Muyun finds out..."
Yang Yan forced himself to calm down, his brain racing.
Now that things have come to this, blaming Yang Chao is pointless.
We must take advantage of this sudden change!
A ruthless glint flashed in his eyes as he whispered to his confidant, "Immediately send someone to inform Wuzhu in Youzhou City of the attack on Xijing as quickly as possible!"
"Let him know that Zhao Muyun's stronghold is in imminent danger, and he will definitely have to send troops back to reinforce it!"
"Furthermore, send a reply to Yang Chao, ordering him to launch a fierce attack on Xijing at all costs!"
"Tell him I will do my best to hold off Zhao Muyun, but if he fails to take Xijing before Zhao Muyun returns to reinforce, he will come back with his head!"
"And also," Yang Yan's voice lowered further, carrying a chilling killing intent, "have our people who are in contact with Wuzhu give Wuzhu an extra boost..."
"Tell him that if he can launch a full-scale attack and entangle or even severely damage Zhao Muyun's troops, I will not only ensure his safe retreat back to the grasslands, but also give him Zhao Muyun's head as a gift!"
He must now seize every opportunity to keep Zhao Muyun firmly pinned down on the Yan-Yun battlefield, creating time for Yang Chao to capture Xijing.
Even if it means dealing with a tiger for its skin, it's worth paying a higher price!
Thanks to the intelligence system built by Wang Tiezhu, Shen Qian, and Fan Bingbing with the full support of Zhao Muyun.
The news of Yang Chao's sudden uprising reached Zhao Muyun, who was hiding in the mountains, in the shortest possible time via carrier pigeon.
The contents of the letter made him clench his fists instantly, and a chilling aura emanated from his body.
"Yang Chao... Ziwu Valley... Xijing..."
He muttered those words under his breath, his eyes as cold as ice.
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