Chapter 466 Surrender
King Chu looked at the head behind him, and then heard a report from his side that the vanguard had beheaded the enemy general. He couldn't help but laugh out loud.
After intercepting the deputy general, he relayed the order to those beside him: "Pass on my command, launch a full-scale attack on the city!!!"
Upon receiving the King of Chu's order, Commander Zhao saw the flag bearer right next to the King of Chu suddenly wave his flag and burst into laughter. He then ordered the drums to be beaten and the attack on the city to begin.
Behind them, 20,000 soldiers charged toward the city gate. Lin Changning and the King of Chu annihilated the 3,000 cavalrymen, and the soldiers behind them continued to charge forward.
Twenty siege ladders were simultaneously erected on the city wall, and the vanguard soldiers, with short swords in their mouths, climbed upwards, gripping the steps with their hands and feet.
The archers on the city walls drew their bows to their fullest extent, unleashing a dense barrage of arrows like locusts. Every now and then, climbers would be struck by arrows and fall, crashing onto the piles of corpses below, only to be immediately replaced by new soldiers.
Lin Changning led Wei Shao and rushed towards the King of Chu. The shield bearers quickly formed a line around them, protecting the generals under their shields.
Lin Changning casually knocked away an arrow that was aimed at the King of Chu, wiped the blood off his face. His silver armor was almost completely stained with blood, and blood seeped through the gaps in the armor and into Lin Changning's clothes.
Lin Changning felt a dull ache from a wound on his side. He glanced at the King of Chu and saw a bright red bloodstain on the King's arm, which was damp through the King's dark clothes.
Looking at the blood on the King of Chu's arm, which resembled water stains, Lin Changning asked with slight concern, "Father? What happened to your injuries?"
King Chu, seated on horseback, shook his head at Lin Changning: "It's alright, how can one avoid injury in battle?"
After speaking, the King of Chu looked at Lin Changning and smiled with satisfaction: "My son was very brave today!"
Lin Changning couldn't help but smile and clasped his hands in thanks: "Father, you flatter me."
Seeing that the enemy's arrows had stopped flying, the King of Chu turned around, reined in Lin Changning, and returned to the rear of the army. He left the siege to Old Zhao. With the commander-in-chief dead and the deputy commander dead, it was only a matter of time before Niangziguan was captured.
If we're a little faster, we can take it by the afternoon; if we're a little slower, we can still capture the city by night.
The two had barely returned to the rear of the army when they saw the catapults leave a large breach in the west side of the city wall. Many soldiers on the city gate fell directly through the breach, which slightly shocked Lin Changning.
Unexpectedly, the catapult was able to smash a large hole in the city wall.
The King of Chu smiled and shook his head, sitting on his horse and humming an unknown folk tune.
When they saw Lin Changning frowning as he looked at the city wall, they knew what their child was thinking.
He chuckled softly and said, "Little Six, don't be surprised. A poorly made job can't withstand a fierce attack."
Lin Changning turned to look at the King of Chu's confident demeanor, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes: "Father already knew?"
The King of Chu sneered a few times: "The money allocated by the court has all gone into the pockets of local officials, so naturally there is not much money left to thicken the city wall. This city wall was only repaired a few days ago. People should not have any illusions."
Lin Changning understood the implication of the King of Chu's words. He didn't say much, but quietly watched Commander Zhao coordinate the troops to attack the city.
Commander Zhao brandished his sword and roared, "Kill!"
The army split into three routes: one continued to attack the city and seize the city walls, while another group broke through the breach and charged straight into the city.
Beneath the city gate, the army stood in formation, shields separated, and swordsmen charged forward, clashing with the defenders pouring out from the breach. The crisp sound of steel blades slicing through armor, the soldiers' shouts, and the drumbeats from the city walls mingled together, and the blood-stained military flags flickered in the smoke.
Lin Changning and the King of Chu stood below the city. Amidst the smoke and fire, a cool breeze lifted the red tassel on Lin Changning's armor. As he watched countless wounded soldiers being carried to the rear and countless others perish in the battle, a complex emotion flickered in Lin Changning's eyes.
The path to imperial power has always been paved with countless lives.
The entire city wall of Canyang River was dyed golden red, and the corpses beneath the wall formed a thick layer. The corpses at the breach were piled up into a small mountain, and the ground beneath the horses' hooves was damp and sticky, soaked in the blood of countless people.
Scattered helmets, broken spears, and rolling logs and stones were mixed together. Several crows landed on the armor of the fallen soldiers, pecking at the remaining flesh and blood. Lin Changning casually used his riding whip to drive away the crows that landed on the corpses.
Riding his horse, he watched as the people in front of him cleared away the corpses, making way for the king, and then followed him into the city.
The surviving soldiers in the city were guarded by their men and escorted to both sides of the city's roads. The imperial army surrendered halfway through the battle.
When a magistrate in the city saw that his superiors had all been killed in battle and that less than two thousand of the eight thousand soldiers in the city remained, he stopped resisting and ordered the rest to surrender to the King of Chu.
The surrendered magistrate's surname was Cheng, given name Feng. He was a magistrate who had been transferred here a few days ago. Seeing that the situation was hopeless, he only thought about saving the remaining soldiers.
He was being escorted to the King of Chu, bound hand and foot.
The King of Chu looked down at the surrendered official and narrowed his eyes: "I recognize you. I remember you were one of Commander Yan's men."
The prefect was being held down, his hair was a little disheveled, and his armor was covered with knife marks. After hearing what the King of Chu said, he nodded: "Yes, Your Highness, I am Commander Yan's subordinate."
Upon hearing this, the King of Chu laughed and said, "Oh? What a coincidence."
He then looked at Lin Changning and waved his hand: "Xiao Liu, come here and call your subordinate over."
Lin Changning immediately understood who the King of Chu was referring to. He glanced at Old Ma and saw that Old Ma rode back for a short while before returning with Commander Yan, who was wrapped in strips of cloth.
The magistrate, seeing his commander dressed in a common soldier's uniform and wrapped in bandages, was incredulous. His eyes widened suddenly: "Commander! You're not dead?"
Commander Yan looked at his former subordinate with some embarrassment, scratched his head, and said, "His Highness is magnanimous and did not take my life."
The King of Chu sat on his horse, beaming as he looked at Commander Yan: "Old Yan, how many people have you killed today?"
Old Yan roughly counted on his fingers and said, "About seven or eight."
The King of Chu smiled and said, "Old Yan's demeanor is as impressive as ever. After killing seven or eight people, he can be promoted to a junior officer. However, it would be beneath you to be a junior officer with your abilities. How about starting as a captain?"
Old Yan, somewhat excited, clasped his hands in a fist and knelt on one knee before the King of Chu, saying, "Your Highness, I thank you for your appreciation!"
Cheng Feng looked at the scene before him with a slight sense of disbelief. He turned his head and saw the King of Chu looking at him and asking, "Since you have surrendered, are you willing to start from scratch under my command? Just like your commander, start as a common soldier."
Cheng Feng pursed his lips, seemingly lost in thought. Old Yan, however, was getting impatient and kicked Cheng Feng in the backside: "What are you doing standing there for? Hurry up and thank the Prince!"
Cheng Feng glanced helplessly at his commander, then bowed his head and respectfully said to the King of Chu, "Cheng Feng thanks Your Highness for sparing my life."
The King of Chu nodded: "In that case, let's continue to follow Old Yan."
With that, he rode his horse and led Lin Changning and the others into the city.
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