On the border of the Chu state, a large contingent of Qin troops is marching.
As Ying Zheng rode on his horse, a glint of shrewdness flashed in his eyes as he gazed at the distant, sprawling fortresses.
Since the start of the campaign, the Qin army has been unstoppable, capturing several cities in succession.
The Chu army was not easily defeated, but rather they were intimidated by the Qin army's gunpowder, often losing their fighting spirit before even engaging in battle.
"Report!" A scout galloped up on horseback, "Your Majesty, the main force of the Chu army has been spotted twenty miles ahead within the city!"
"Oh?" Ying Zheng's interest was piqued. "Tell me about it."
"Your Majesty, the Chu army numbers approximately 100,000 men and is currently constructing fortifications. It seems they intend to ambush our forces there."
"One hundred thousand..." Ying Zheng nodded slightly. "They do have some guts. Wang Jian!"
"Your subordinate is here!"
"Do you think the Chu army is going to hold out to the death this time, or are they up to some trick again?"
Wang Jian pondered for a moment: "In my humble opinion, they genuinely intend to ambush us here. The terrain is advantageous, the supplies are plentiful, and there are fortifications protecting the area; it is indeed a good location."
"That's not all." Ying Zheng narrowed his eyes. "Look at this terrain. Behind us is the Xiaoshan Mountains, and on both flanks are strategic passes. If we defeat them, the rest of the journey will be much easier."
"Your Majesty is wise!" Wang Ben spurred his horse forward. "In my humble opinion, we should seize the opportunity to strike hard and completely crush their will!"
"Send the order!" Ying Zheng commanded. "The army shall set up camp in the open space ahead. Meng Tian!"
"Your subordinate is here!"
"Lead the cavalry out to scout and see what arrangements they have made."
"yes!"
While the Qin army was busy setting up camp, the atmosphere was equally tense in the Chu army camp.
"Report! The Qin army has stopped twenty li away and is setting up camp!"
Lord Chunshen, the commander-in-chief of the Chu army, frowned deeply. Since the Qin army entered the country, they had already lost seven cities. Those terrifying firearms terrified the soldiers, and even their proudly fortified cities were no match for the Qin army.
"Commander, are we really going to fight here?" a lieutenant asked.
"Otherwise what?" Lord Chunshen smiled wryly. "If we retreat any further, we'll be on the plains. At least we have the advantage of the terrain. Besides..."
He pointed to the map: "Look here, the Xiaoshan Mountains have several strategic passes. If we can hold off the Qin army here, we can buy time for the areas behind us to prepare."
"But..." the lieutenant hesitated, "their firearms are too powerful; even our city can't withstand them. I'm afraid these temporary fortifications..."
"What's the panic!" Lord Chunshen said decisively. "Do you think I wasn't prepared?"
He clapped his hands, and immediately his personal guards brought over a wooden box. Upon opening it, they found a dark green grease inside.
"This is a fire-resistant material secretly developed by the Mohist school," Lord Chunshen explained. "Applying this to shields and city walls can withstand the power of gunpowder. While it can't completely prevent damage, it can at least reduce the losses."
"And this..." He had several more stone jars brought over, "This is a special potion that can extinguish gunpowder flames. Qin has the Mohists, so why shouldn't Chu have one?"
The lieutenants immediately perked up. With these precautions in place, they no longer needed to be as anxious as before.
"Pass down the order!" Lord Chunshen's expression was grave. "Expedite the construction of the fortifications; they must be completed before the Qin army launches its attack!"
At this time, Meng Tian had already returned with his scouts.
"Your Majesty, the Chu army's defenses are indeed meticulous." He pointed to the sand table, "Two trenches in front, a deer stockade in the middle. The main camp is built on high ground, with small fortresses on both flanks. Moreover..."
"And what?"
"Furthermore, I noticed that they coated the city walls and shields with a special substance that made them appear shiny and glossy."
"Oh?" Ying Zheng said thoughtfully. "That's interesting. It seems the State of Chu wasn't entirely unprepared."
He turned to Wang Jian and asked, "What do you think?"
"This humble general believes we should probe first," Wang Jian said. "Let Meng Tian lead a light cavalry force to feign an attack on their right flank. Let's see their reaction."
"No!" Ying Zheng said decisively, "There's no need to test them. Since they dare to set up their formation here, it means they have something to rely on. Perfect..."
His eyes gleamed: "Let them witness the true strength of Qin! Issue the order: tomorrow morning, the entire army will launch an attack!"
"promise!"
That night, both armies' camps were busy.
The Chu army was busy building defensive fortifications, while the Qin army was preparing for tomorrow's attack.
Instead of resting, Ying Zheng summoned his generals to discuss the battle plan.
"The enemy is well-rested and protected by fortifications. A direct assault would likely result in heavy losses," Wang Jian analyzed. "It would be better to bombard them with gunpowder first, to demoralize them."
"But Your Majesty, they seem to be wary of gunpowder," Meng Tian reminded him.
"No problem!" Wang Ben laughed. "So what if they're on guard? Let them see how powerful our army is!"
Listening to his generals' suggestions, Ying Zheng suddenly recalled the words his wicked husband had spoken before his departure: "Gunpowder is good, but it must be used wisely..."
"Gentlemen!" he stood up. "I have an idea."
......
The Qin army began its operation early the next morning.
According to Ying Zheng's plan, the army was divided into three routes: the central army was led by Wang Jian, the left army was led by Wang Ben and his son, and the right army was led by Meng Wu and Meng Tian.
When the Chu army saw the Qin army move out, they quickly formed ranks. Lord Chunshen stood on high ground and observed the enemy's situation by the morning light.
"Commander!" a scout rushed in. "The Qin army has split into three groups; it seems they're about to attack simultaneously!"
"As expected..." Lord Chunshen sneered, "They're still using the conventional tactics. Send the order down: hold your ground and don't make any rash moves!"
He believed that with these Mohist-made defensive materials, the Qin army's gunpowder power would be greatly reduced.
At that point, it will be a battle of attrition!
With their advantageous location and ample supplies, they may well have a chance of winning.
But at that moment, the Qin army's actions took him by surprise.
Suddenly, Wang Ben's left flank army accelerated and charged directly toward the fortress on the right flank.
Meanwhile, Meng Tian's right wing launched a fierce attack on the left flank. The fortresses on both flanks had just been built and their defensive capabilities were not strong.
"Not good!" Lord Chunshen hurriedly ordered reinforcements.
However, the distance between the two flanks is too great, and by the time reinforcements arrive, the fortress will likely be lost.
Just as he hesitated, Wang Jian's central army also moved.
Suddenly, the Qin army's formation unfolded, revealing a dense array of catapults behind them.
"Ready!" Wang Jian commanded.
"put!"
Dozens of gunpowder whistled as they flew toward the Chu army's position.
This attack was not aimed at the city wall, but landed directly on the open ground between the moat and the deer stronghold.
"Boom boom boom!"
The series of explosions kicked up clouds of smoke and dust.
When the smoke cleared, the Chu army was shocked to find that the carefully arranged deer camps had been blown to pieces.
Lord Chunshen's expression changed drastically. He never expected that the Qin army would use gunpowder to clear the obstacles! What alarmed him even more was that the fortresses on both flanks were already in imminent danger.
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