The sun rises in the east.
Flags were waving outside Shuofang City.
The Dafeng army is at the gates of the city.
The sound of war drums and trumpets resounded across the plain.
Liang Yili stood on the city wall with a cold look in his eyes.
At this moment, he was wearing armor and looking into the distance.
The Dafeng troops were divided into three groups, all on high alert.
The royal flag can be seen from a long distance away.
He is having a very hard time now.
He was criticized a lot for letting Ning Que go.
No one cared where he was at the time.
They only care about the results!
Ning Que led three thousand men and swept across the grassland.
Tens of thousands of troops were fooled around.
This is all because of your improper command, Liang Yili!
During the final confrontation, they even withdrew on their own initiative.
Why, are you so afraid of Ning Que?
What are you afraid of?
Why don’t you dare to fight Ning Que?
Got it, are you convinced?!
In the eyes of the soldiers, Liang Yili is a traitor to Liao!
Ning Que destroyed Longcheng because of Liang Yili's inaction!
As for the evidence?
This kind of thing doesn't require evidence.
What we want is someone to take the blame!
Otherwise what will happen to morale?
Liang Yili has no way to defend himself.
Under pressure, he had to surrender his military power.
Fortunately, the King of Liao still stood on his side.
After all, changing generals in the middle of a battle is a big taboo in military strategy!
Liang Yili issued a military order.
He will personally take charge of Shuofang City!
As long as the city is there, people will live; if the city is destroyed, people will die!
"Everyone listen up!"
"exist!"
"Defend the city at all costs!"
Liang Yili spoke coldly.
There were many stones and arrows piled on the city wall.
As long as Dafeng attacks the city, they will never return!
…
The sound of war drums gradually stopped.
All three armies were on high alert.
They held their weapons tightly.
Ning Que drew the sword from his waist and pointed it forward.
The whole place was silent, with only the howling of the wind.
Ning Que looked at Shuofang City from afar and breathed a sigh of relief.
Nothing more needs to be said at this moment.
Everything has been prepared.
The battle formation quickly moved away from both sides.
One catapult after another was pushed out by the soldiers.
This was a weapon Ning Que had specifically ordered improved, and was named the Giant Stone Cannon. For those familiar with history, this thing is also known as the Huihui Cannon, a siege weapon built by the Mongols during their attack on the Song Dynasty.
Compared to traditional trebuchets, the stone cannon, with its levered counterweight, was a top-tier siege weapon. It was not only more labor-efficient but also more formidable. Excluding the stone itself, it weighed a hundred and fifty kilograms. The detonation was earth-shattering, and everything it struck was destroyed, sinking seven feet into the ground!
The design is actually quite simple. A skilled carpenter with enough materials can handcraft more than a dozen in a day. It has a square base, topped by a wooden frame. It has a throwing rod, with a stone at the bottom and a counterweight at the higher end. A hook locks the throwing rod, and when needed, simply strike the hook with a mallet to fire it.
The range of a conventional stone cannon is about 250 steps. If it is specially made with counterweights, it can even reach more than 300 steps, which is more than 500 meters!
The key is cheap and durable!
It is easy to build and can be reused quickly.
Ever since Ning Que proposed it, it has been highly praised by generals like Feng Wuze. Feng Wuze made a decisive move, preserving the existing catapults while simultaneously devoting all his efforts to building the giant stone cannon!
No one moved a step.
Almost everyone was waiting for orders.
Finally, Ning Que shouted out those two words.
These two words are enough to affect the life and death of hundreds of thousands of people!
“Attack the city!!!”
"kill!!!"
The sound of fighting instantly resounded throughout the battlefield.
Tie Niu stood on the high platform, waving the command flag.
The captain in charge of the giant stone cannon understood what he meant.
Raise the command flag high, then quickly swing your arm and lower it!
"put!!!"
Bang bang bang bang——
A series of earth-shaking noises rang out.
The hook of the stone cannon disengaged, and the mechanism instantly began to work. Working by the principle of leverage, the casting rod pressed down violently, and the huge stone at the bottom shot out like a cannonball, drawing graceful arcs in the air.
Some of them fell to the ground, others hit the city wall, leaving a huge crack. Others hit the back with great precision, killing or injuring those who were hit!
"continue!"
Ning Que raised his hand coldly.
No charge was ordered.
A new stone cannon was pushed up again.
Another round of firepower delivery.
The walls of Shuofang City seemed to be crumbling.
It was indeed extravagant, but Ning Que didn't care. War was all about national strength and logistics, so having such powerful firepower would be a waste if it wasn't used.
The two rounds of stone cannons, reloading each other, could form a continuous fire suppression. Coupled with the long distance, the Liao defenders were unable to raise their heads.
All the officers and soldiers stared blankly.
I just think it's quite enjoyable.
Can we still fight like this?
Using a catapult as a crossbow?
Alternate shooting to form fire suppression?
No one has been able to do this in all these years.
This is because the original trebuchets were so large that they required more than a dozen people to operate them simultaneously. Reloading and firing them was also extremely difficult. The megalithic cannon, on the other hand, only required three people, allowing for rapid reloading and firing. The increased rate of fire ensured the feasibility of alternate firing.
The battle was going smoothly in the front, but the logistics department was cursing.
Just to transport these stones, thousands of civilians were mobilized in the rear, and almost all of the stones in Yanmen Pass were removed. But for Ning Que, it was all worth it. As long as he could break the city, what did it matter?
Emperor Feng also said that a quick victory is needed.
Even if it takes the whole country’s strength, it’s fine!
He not only wants to win, but also wants to win beautifully!
My dear, there is more to this chapter. Please click on the next page to continue reading. It will be even more exciting later!
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