(Minimize war and reform storylines, and focus more on the main character's personal plot. The Three Kingdoms period is coming to an end soon; the next world will be a martial arts story.)
In March of 198 AD, Marquis Dingshan had been leading troops across the grasslands for six months. Under the attack of 120,000 troops led by Marshal Cao Cao, not only were the fierce Xiongnu driven away, but the Xianbei also suffered heavy casualties. The entire Xianbei people fled to Touman City. At the end of March, Marshal Cao Cao once again amassed a large army and besieged Touman City. After three days of fighting, this second largest ethnic group on the grasslands followed in the footsteps of the Xiongnu, and had no choice but to completely abandon their homeland on the grasslands and embark on a great migration. —Records of the Chinese Nation
In April of 198 AD, a nomadic people of several hundred thousand from the Central Plains migrated westward, becoming known as the Southern Xiongnu. That same year, the Southern Xiongnu joined the Northern Xiongnu in their migration, reuniting to form the complete Xiongnu. This made this nomadic people, who had originated in the East in 91 AD, even stronger. In June of the same year, the strengthened Xiongnu ceased their period of rest and recuperation and continued their great migration. These wolves once again revealed their claws, their first target being Alanqing. This migration of the Xiongnu is also known as the "Scourge of God" (historically, in 290 AD, after the Northern Xiongnu disappeared for two centuries to recuperate, they invaded the western world). —Persian History.
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After driving out the Xiongnu, and after another three months of war (March 189), the Xianbei were almost entirely driven to Touman City. Those who were unable to migrate and the prisoners would face a second bloody purge by the executioner Ran Ding.
After pacifying the grasslands, Cao Cao once again assembled a large army and marched on Touman City.
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"Hurry, bring up more thunderstones and logs. The Han army may attack at any time."
"Arrows, bring more arrows up. We must not let the Han army occupy the city walls, otherwise we will all become targets for the Han army, and the Han army that occupies the city walls will shoot us all to death."
"Warriors, we absolutely cannot retreat any longer. Once the city falls, our people will face slaughter by the Han army."
On the walls and inside the city of Touman, the Xianbei generals, watching the Han army that had already besieged the city, anxiously directed their warriors, who had never fought a siege before, to make final preparations. Many of these warriors had never even been on the battlefield.
“Children, do not be afraid. Your father and mother, and the warriors of your tribe, will surely keep the Han army outside the city walls. The Han army will not be able to break into the city.”
The Xianbei people who had fled to Touman City watched the busy soldiers and comforted the frightened children who had gathered together.
"Your Majesty," a general reported solemnly to his king, "all the children have been gathered together, and all those who can take up arms have been given weapons. If Touman City is breached by the Han army, we will fight them to the death. Let the children escape first."
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"Marshal, it seems the Xianbei intend to hold the city and are unwilling to leave the grasslands." Zhao Liu looked at the densely packed Xianbei people on the city wall and asked Cao Cao, "Should we begin the attack?"
“No,” Cao Cao shook his head and said, “There is a better way than attacking. Order the soldiers to dig trenches and build fortifications immediately to prevent the Xianbei from rushing out of the city.”
"Yes." The messenger glanced at Zhao Liu, and seeing that Zhao Liu did not object, he immediately went to relay the order.
Seeing this, Cao Cao said nothing. After all, he was a warlord who had submitted to him, while Zhao Liu and the others were the confidants of Marquis Dingshan, Wang Han, and the soldiers were all from Bingzhou. Without Zhao Liu and the others' approval, few soldiers would listen to him. Although he had been appointed marshal, he was not entirely at ease with them. Fortunately, Zhao Liu and the others were only supervising him and had not interfered with his decisions.
Cao Cao continued, "General Zhao Liu, use all the cannons and the howitzers (paint buckets modified with disc-shaped explosive packs) that the lord sent. We can bombard Touman City directly. With nearly two thousand cannons, the Xianbei can't possibly stay in the city as targets. They can't hold out either. They'll either break out or leave Touman City and continue their westward migration."
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"What are these Han soldiers doing?" On the city wall of Touman, the Xianbei generals and soldiers looked at the Han soldiers who were busy digging trenches five or six hundred meters away from the city wall, and were full of doubt.
"call out……"
Suddenly, a shell landed in a house behind the city wall, sparking a fire and drawing everyone's attention.
"This is..." The Xianbei king suddenly had a bad feeling. They only thought that the Han army's rifles would be less effective in the city, and the cannons would be even more difficult to use, especially with the city walls blocking the cannonballs. They never expected that the Han army could fire cannonballs into the city.
"Whoosh whoosh whoosh..."
"Boom boom boom..."
The Xianbei king's premonition came true. After the first test cannonball, a continuous stream of cannonballs fell into the city, and the huge explosions never stopped, drowning out all other sounds. The city was immediately thrown into chaos.
The massive explosions from the howitzers caused widespread destruction of buildings and killed or injured people in the city.
The city walls were also repeatedly hit by artillery shells and grenades, and the walls were constantly shaking, as if they were about to collapse.
"Your Majesty, the Han army's artillery is too powerful. The city walls are simply not holding. If we continue to defend the walls, I'm afraid everyone will be blown to bits. Only the area behind the city is getting hit by fewer shells." A Xianbei general came before the Xianbei king and said loudly, "What should we do now?"
"We can't just sit here and wait to die. We must find a way to break out and get to the Han army to fight them in close combat," the Xianbei king said. "You must immediately organize your soldiers to charge."
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