A light snow began to fall, which conveniently concealed the traces of the march.
Murong Chunhua's light cavalry were the first to disperse, disappearing like ghosts into the surrounding hills and forests, as they cleared away any threats in front and on the flanks.
The main force marched eastward at high speed along the predetermined route.
For speed, the heavily armored infantry and archers rode spare horses or two men on one horse. Although it was bumpy, it was still much faster than walking.
The twenty sleds carrying the thunderbolts were placed in the very center of the procession, with the engineers moving with extreme caution, fearing that any bumps might cause an accident.
The cold wind was like a knife, stinging my face.
Snowflakes seeped into my collar and immediately melted into icy water, chilling me to the bone.
But no one complained; everyone gritted their teeth and silently pressed on.
Zhao Muyun rode at the front of the procession, glancing back every now and then at the thunderous thunderbolts.
These newly improved thunderbolts from the Xijing Firearms Bureau have a larger charge than those used in Luoyingjian, and their outer shells are cast with pre-formed fragments, making them specifically designed for attacking strongholds.
Five hundred concentrated explosives would be enough to blast the north gate of Youzhou into pieces.
But he was also aware of the risks.
If the army were attacked during the march, or if the ice could not bear the weight, these thunderbolts would become the graveyard of the entire army.
"Grand Commander, the Yongding River is just ten miles ahead."
The guide, a scout from a local hunting background, knew the terrain like the back of his hand. "The ice on the river is thick; just a few days ago, my men saw a herd of deer running across it. But our sleds are too heavy, I'm afraid..."
“We’ll cross in batches.” Zhao Muyun had already made preparations. “First, we’ll unload the thunderbolts and have the soldiers carry them across the river in batches. Then we’ll use empty sleds to cross. It’ll be time-consuming, but it’ll be safe.”
"yes!"
In the darkest hour before dawn, the army arrived at the Yongding River.
The wide river was completely covered by ice and snow, gleaming with a bluish-white light under the faint glow of the snow, like a huge jade belt stretching across the foot of the Yanshan Mountains.
The reeds on both sides of the riverbank were covered with icicles, which made a crisp clanging sound in the wind.
The scout team had already gone up to the ice to explore, poking at it in several places with spears to confirm that the ice was thick enough to support the passage of men and horses.
"According to the plan, cross the river in batches!" Zhao Muyun ordered.
The most tense part has begun.
The engineers of the Shenji Battalion carefully unloaded the thunderbolts from the sleds.
Each group of four soldiers carried a box of ten thunderbolts on a specially made wooden frame, slowly moving towards the opposite bank along the thickest ice line marked by scouts.
As each group crossed the river, the rest of the people held their breath.
The ice surface groaned under the heavy pressure, but remained steadfast.
Zhao Muyun personally stood by the river to oversee the battle, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword.
An hour later, all three hundred thunderbolts were safely transported to the other side.
Next came the empty sleds, and finally the soldiers.
When Guo Luo led the last batch of heavy cavalry onto the ice, the east was already turning a pale white.
"Speed up! Everyone must cross the river before dawn!" Zhao Muyun shouted.
The heavy cavalrymen spurred their horses on, quickening their pace.
The groans of the ice surface became more pronounced, and several spiderweb-like cracks even appeared, but it ultimately held on.
Only when the last rider stepped onto the north bank did Zhao Muyun finally breathe a long sigh of relief.
This place is already thirty miles north of Youzhou City, completely behind the Northern Di army.
Because Yang Yan's army besieged the south, the Northern Di's scouts and cavalry were mostly concentrated on the southern and western fronts, while the defenses on the north were lax.
"The scouts went out five miles to scout ahead, while the rest of the men rested, ate, and drank on the spot."
Zhao Muyun dismounted and grabbed a handful of snow, stuffing it into his mouth to moisten his throat.
The soldiers silently carried out their orders, gnawing on their cold rations and swallowing them with snow water.
The continuous night of forced marching and tense river crossing had taken a heavy toll on their physical strength.
Many people almost fall asleep as soon as they sit down, but they force themselves to stay awake and dare not close their eyes.
Zhao Muyun, Guo Luo, Tang Yanhai, Liu Yi and others squatted on the snow and used tree branches to draw a simple map of the northern city of Youzhou.
"The key is the explosion." Zhao Muyun tapped the north gate heavily with a tree branch. "Liu Yi, you lead five hundred men, carrying all the thunderbolts, and sneak to the city gate before dawn when it's darkest."
"Remember, the thunderbolts must be concentrated at the weakest point of the city gate structure."
Liu Yi nodded solemnly: "This subordinate understands."
Tang Yanhai asked, "How can we ensure a successful demolition on the first attempt?"
Liu Yi replied, "The Divine Machine Battalion has already calculated that the north gate is a wooden gate reinforced with iron, and it is 1.2 feet thick."
"Three hundred thunderbolts were stacked in three layers: one hundred at the bottom, one hundred in the middle, and one hundred at the top, with the fuses connected in series to detonate simultaneously."
"After the explosion, the North Gate no longer exists!"
"The remaining two hundred will be used as our reserves."
"The impact of that explosion..." Tang Yanhai said worriedly.
"Once you've placed it, retreat a hundred paces and find cover," Liu Yi said.
“Even so, there are still risks. General Liu, are you willing to accept this order to die?” Zhao Muyun asked.
Liu Yi knelt on one knee: "This humble general is willing to go! If we can conquer Youzhou, I will have no regrets even if I die!"
"Good!" Zhao Muyun helped Liu Yi up. "After the explosion is successful, Guo Luo's heavy cavalry battalion will charge immediately. Don't give the defenders any chance to block the gate."
"Wu Shangzhi led the light cavalry to suppress the city walls on both sides with composite bows, while the rest of my troops followed closely behind the heavy cavalry and charged into the city."
He looked at everyone and said, “Remember, our goal is not to occupy the whole city, but to blow open the city gates and create chaos, and hold out until Yang Yanjun discovers the change and strengthens the attack from the south.”
"If successful, launch three red rockets immediately."
"What if Yang Yan... remains inactive?" Tang Yanhai asked in a low voice, voicing everyone's concerns.
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