at the same time.
The atmosphere in front of Lantian Pass was as heavy as iron.
Having suffered humiliation yesterday, Niu Dejin mustered 20,000 troops at dawn today and arrayed them in front of the pass.
This time, instead of resorting to insults, he directly ordered an attack on the city.
The war drums sounded, and the bugles blared.
The Fengtian Army pushed their rudimentary siege equipment and surged toward the city wall like a tidal wave.
Battering rams crashed into the city gates, ladders were erected on the city walls, and soldiers swarmed up.
Standing on the wall, Xiao Cheyun looked down expressionlessly.
"Archers, fire!"
At the command, arrows rained down.
The Fengtian Army soldiers at the forefront immediately fell in droves.
But those behind them stepped over the corpses of their comrades and continued their charge.
The battle lasted from dawn until noon.
Bodies piled up beneath the walls, their blood staining the ground red.
The Feng army attacked the city walls several times, but was repelled each time by the Yin army fighting desperately.
"General, a breach has appeared in the eastern section of the city wall, and the defending troops have suffered heavy casualties!" the lieutenant rushed in to report.
Xiao Cheyun glanced at it: "Send the reserve troops up to block them. Tell the soldiers that if they hold out for another hour, the Fengtian Army will surely retreat."
Why?
“Niu Dejin is impatient. He will become anxious if we can’t break through his defenses after a long time,” Xiao Cheyun said calmly. “When he becomes anxious, that’s when we will launch a counterattack.”
Sure enough, by the time of Wei (1-3 PM), the Fengtian Army's offensive gradually slowed down.
After four hours of continuous attack, the soldiers were exhausted and their morale was low.
Niu Dejin saw it clearly from the central watchtower and stomped his feet in anger.
"Useless! All of you are useless! Twenty thousand men couldn't even take Lantian Pass!"
Zhang Tao, standing to the side, advised, "General, the soldiers have done their utmost. Xiao Cheyun's defenses are impenetrable; a direct assault would be too costly. Perhaps we should retreat temporarily and devise a more comprehensive plan..."
"What a load of rubbish about long-term planning!" Niu Dejin glared. "I'm going to break through Lantian Pass today!"
Just as he was about to order the entire army to advance, a fast horse suddenly galloped up from behind.
"Report! General, urgent news from the capital!"
The messenger dismounted and presented a secret letter.
The letter was written by Feng Liang himself. When Niu Dejin opened it, his expression changed drastically.
"What? The Emperor of the Yin Dynasty...is dead?"
Zhang Tao was also surprised upon hearing this and leaned closer to take a closer look.
"With Yin Zhao dead, Xijing will inevitably descend into chaos." Niu Dejin's eyes flashed with a shrewd light. "This is a golden opportunity! Xiao Cheyun's army will surely be thrown into disarray!"
Zhang Tao frowned: "General, this matter is strange. Yin Zhao was in the prime of his life, how could he suddenly die? There's probably more to it than meets the eye..."
"Who cares if it's strange or not!" Niu Dejin waved his hand. "The emperor is dead, that's a fact! Order the entire army to spread this news! Let the Yin army at the pass hear that their emperor is gone!"
Soon, a unified shout rang out from the Fengtian Army ranks:
"Yin Zhao is dead! The Prince of Jin has usurped the throne! Whom are you still serving?"
"Lay down your weapons, open the gates and surrender, and we will spare your lives!"
Waves of sound crashed against the barrier.
On the wall, the soldiers of the Yin Army looked at each other, their faces showing surprise and doubt.
Xiao Cheyun frowned slightly.
He had received a message by carrier pigeon yesterday, informing him of the changes in Xijing, but he did not expect the news to spread so quickly, reaching Fengchao.
"General, morale is wavering..." the lieutenant whispered.
Xiao Cheyun walked to the highest point of the city wall, gathered his inner strength, and his voice echoed throughout the pass:
"Soldiers! His Majesty has indeed passed away, but not through usurpation. He was murdered by the treacherous eunuch Cao Chunfeng! His Highness Prince Jin is the late Emperor's grandson. He was summoned back to the capital to take charge of the overall situation. How can there be any talk of usurpation?"
He paused, then continued, "On the contrary, the Feng Army launched a large-scale attack while our country was in mourning. What are their intentions? Do they want to take advantage of our misfortune and trample on our Great Yin land?"
"We guard the border and protect our country. Do you think you can forget your duty just because the emperor has changed? Don't forget that behind you are the people of Guanzhong, your parents, wives and children! If the Fengtian Army breaks through the pass, what a terrible fate they will face?"
His words gradually stabilized the wavering morale of the troops.
The soldiers thought of their families, and their eyes regained their resolve.
"We swear to defend the pass to the death!" someone shouted.
"We swear to defend the pass to the death!" Resounding cries of agreement filled the air.
Xiao Cheyun nodded in satisfaction, then turned to his deputy and said, "Niu Dejin wants to demoralize our troops, so let's play along. Send the order to make our troops appear demoralized, luring him to attack with all his might."
"The general means..."
"Pretend there is internal strife, open a small gate, let some soldiers 'flee', and lure the Fengtian Army into a trap."
A cold glint flashed in Xiao Cheyun's eyes. "The streets and alleys inside the pass are narrow, which is not conducive to the deployment of a large army. If the Feng Army dares to come in, we will make sure they never return."
The lieutenant's eyes lit up: "Your subordinate obeys!"
Half an hour later, a "riot" suddenly broke out on the wall.
Dozens of soldiers appeared to be arguing about something, and then they started fighting.
In the chaos, a section of the city wall was left undefended, and the Fengtian Army seized the opportunity to attack.
At the same time, shouts of battle came from inside the pass, indicating that internal strife had broken out.
Before long, a small door on the east side opened, and hundreds of Yin soldiers hurriedly "fled out".
Niu Dejin, seeing this from afar, was overjoyed: "The Yin Army is in turmoil! Quick! Send troops to break in through that small gate!"
Zhang Tao exclaimed urgently, "General, be careful, it might be a trap!"
"What are you bluffing about?" Niu Dejin pointed at the "rout" soldiers. "Look at their pathetic state, do they think they're faking it? This is an opportunity not to be missed! Order the vanguard to launch a full-scale attack!"
The Fengtian Army surged toward the small gate like a tidal wave.
The vanguard entered smoothly without encountering resistance. Upon receiving the news, Niu Dejin became even more convinced and ordered the central army to advance as well.
However, after the three thousand Fengtian soldiers entered the pass, a sudden change occurred!
The small door suddenly closed!
Countless crossbowmen emerged from the rooftops on both sides of the streets and alleys inside the pass.
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