"What was that sound?" The generals' expressions changed.
A bodyguard rushed in to report: "General! Outside the city... the Yin army outside the city has brought out two giant cannons, and one shot has blown down the arrow tower at the north gate!"
Li Sheng rushed up the city wall.
Three miles outside the city, two massive, dark cannons stood before the battle lines, their muzzles still emitting wisps of smoke.
The arrow tower at the north gate had collapsed halfway, with bricks and stones scattered all over the ground.
"What...what the hell is this?" Li Sheng stared in disbelief.
He had never seen such a powerful weapon.
He had seen catapults before, but the largest could only throw a hundred-pound stone and had a range of a hundred paces.
But this giant cannon, with a single shot covering three hundred paces, has a power...
"General, the guards at the arrow tower... are all dead," a captain reported in a trembling voice.
Li Sheng's face turned deathly pale.
Just then, Han Zhong's voice came from outside the city, resounding across the city walls through a specially made tin loudspeaker:
"General Li Sheng! This is a newly manufactured divine cannon by the Ministry of Works of the Great Yin Dynasty. One shot can breach the city wall, and ten shots can destroy the city gate! If you, General, are wise enough to surrender, I will spare your life!"
"If you remain obstinate, we will fire ten cannons simultaneously tomorrow. When Youzhou falls, everything will be reduced to ashes!"
The sound echoed in the cold wind, and the soldiers guarding the city walls all paled.
Li Sheng gritted his teeth, but couldn't utter a single word.
He knew that this shot would not only destroy the arrow tower, but also the morale of the defending troops.
......
February 18th, the third day of the siege of Youzhou.
Han Zhong did not rush to launch a general offensive, but instead pushed all ten Divine Machine Cannons to the front of the battle line and bombarded the city wall in turn every day.
He was very patient, targeting the weakest points in the city wall. Today he would bombard a section of the parapet, and tomorrow he would bombard an enemy tower.
Each cannon shot was like a heavy hammer, striking the hearts of the defenders of Youzhou.
Even more terrifying is the psychological warfare.
Han Zhong ordered his men to launch the letter of surrender into the city using catapults. The letter detailed Li Jingang's defeats:
Li Hu's entire army was wiped out in Wancheng, Liu Song of Jingxiang surrendered, Zhao Mu of Nanyue submitted, and Li Bao was trapped in Yecheng...
"General, another three hundred soldiers have deserted today," Wang Sheng reported, his voice trembling.
Li Sheng sat in the hall, without saying a word.
Before him lay a letter that had just been shot into the city, written in Han Zhong's own handwriting:
"Although you are Li Jingang's cousin, my general has always been benevolent and righteous. As long as you are willing to surrender the city, we will forgive and forget your past mistakes."
Li Sheng was struggling internally.
He understood that if he surrendered now, he could still save his life.
If Han Zhong forces open the city gates and they surrender, there will be no room for maneuver.
Think about how he followed Li Jingang all the way from Xiazhou, and in just two years they entered the capital and conquered the country.
And Li Sheng became the guardian of Youzhou, this important town.
Han Zhong's offer of surrender was very tempting, but he was Li Jingang's cousin. Even if he surrendered, could he really escape death?
Thinking of this, a resolute glint flashed in his eyes.
"My lord!" Just then, Wang Sheng whispered, "The city's food supplies... are only enough for ten days."
Li Sheng suddenly looked up: "Isn't there still half a month left?!"
"The granary caught fire last night, burning a thousand shi (a unit of dry measure)..." Wang Sheng's voice trailed off.
Li Sheng closed his eyes.
He knew there must be something fishy about this "fire".
Has Han Zhong's espionage infiltrated to this extent?
"Report!" A guard rushed inside. "Chen Qi, the commander of the North Gate...has opened the city gate and surrendered!"
"What?!" Li Sheng suddenly stood up.
"Chen Qi led his 800 men, opened the north gate, and fled to Yin's army. Han Zhong has already dispatched troops to take over the north gate..."
Li Sheng slumped into the chair, his face ashen.
He knew that the situation was hopeless.
The army's morale has collapsed, the city gates have fallen, and supplies are running out...
"General, let's retreat!" Wang Sheng knelt down and pleaded, "If we go through the south gate, we might still be able to reunite with General Li Bao..."
"Withdraw?" Li Sheng laughed bitterly. "Withdraw to where? Xiong Dayong is to the south, Han Zhong is to the west, and Tian Qing is to the north... There is nowhere left for me, Li Sheng, to hide in this vast world."
He slowly rose and walked to the imperial sword hanging in front of the hall.
This is the sword that Li Jingang personally handed to Yang Yan when Li Jingang transferred him back to the capital and Li Sheng took over Yang Yan's position.
"You may all leave," Li Sheng said calmly, his back to the generals. "Open the city gates and surrender. Han Zhong will not make things difficult for you. As for me..."
He drew his sword, its blade gleaming like water: "In the Great Feng royal family, there are only generals who die in battle, not cowards who surrender."
"General!"
All the generals knelt on the ground.
Li Sheng strode out of the hall, mounted his horse, and shouted, "Personnel troops, follow me!"
Five hundred personal guards followed closely behind, charging on horseback toward the already lost north gate.
They knew this was a death sentence.
But no one backed down.
......
At the north gate, Han Sui was leading his troops to reinforce the city's defenses.
Seeing Li Sheng leading his personal guards charging towards them, he immediately formed ranks to meet the enemy.
"Li Sheng! The situation is hopeless, why throw your life away?" Han Sui shouted.
Li Sheng remained silent, only brandishing his sword and charging forward.
The three-foot-long sword in his hand transformed into a cold light, and wherever it passed, soldiers of the Yin army fell to the ground.
Five hundred personal guards followed closely behind, piercing into the Yin army's formation like sharp knives.
They all knew they would die in this battle, yet they unleashed astonishing fighting power, forcing thousands of Yin soldiers back dozens of steps.
The South Koreans were enraged and drew their guns to meet the attack.
The two fought, their spears and swords clashing, sparks flying everywhere.
After more than twenty rounds of fighting, the South Korean side gradually began to feel the strain.
Li Sheng was, after all, a veteran of the battlefield, with ruthless swordsmanship and every move deadly.
Just then, a cannon fired.
"boom!"
The Divine Machine Cannon did not fire iron bullets, but shrapnel—hundreds of iron balls rained down on the battlefield.
Li Sheng's warhorse was shot and fell to the ground. He rolled on the ground and was about to get up when Han Fang's spear was already pressed against his throat.
"General Li, I apologize for the offense," Han Fang said in a deep voice.
Li Sheng looked around—all five hundred of his personal guards had died in battle, and not a single one had surrendered.
He laughed loudly, "Good! This is the kind of fine son of Li Sheng!"
After laughing, he suddenly grabbed the tip of the gun and thrust it into his own throat.
Han Sui was shocked and tried to put away his gun, but it was too late.
Blood splattered three feet deep.
Li Sheng fell to the ground, his gaze fixed on the south—the direction of the capital of the Great Feng Dynasty and the location of his cousin, Li Jingang.
"Brother... I can't hold on any longer..."
He then died.
Han Fang stepped forward, remained silent for a long time, then took off his cloak and covered Li Sheng with it.
"Give General Li a grand funeral, with the honors due to a general."
He turned to look at Youzhou City, this important town in the northern frontier, where the banner bearing the character "Yin" had finally been planted.
When the news reached the central command tent, Han Zhong was looking at a map.
"My lord, Youzhou has been captured." Han Fang knelt on one knee. "Li Sheng... committed suicide to defend the city."
Han Zhong remained silent for a moment, then sighed, "I never imagined the Li family would have such a loyal and righteous man. Issue the order to bury him with the honors due to a military governor!"
He went outside the tent and looked south.
With Youzhou pacified, Hebei was also pacified.
Now, only the last step remains.
"Send word to Xiong Dayong, tell him that Youzhou has fallen, and he can act freely now. It's time to settle things with Li Bao... it's time to settle things once and for all."
"yes!"
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