Unable to steal water and too afraid to descend the mountain, the Zhongshan army was trapped on the mountain for another day!
Ten thousand people perished at the water source; that was no small number. The corpses piled up like mountains.
The soldiers of Zhongshan, who were stationed on the mountaintop, looked at the bodies of their comrades and shed tears. However... their tears were almost dry!
This can't go on!
If they hold out for another day and night, they'll probably be wiped out.
A person will die in 3-7 days if they don't drink water, and at most they won't survive 7 days!
Meanwhile, the soldiers of the Zhongshan Kingdom on the hilltop had not drunk water for five whole days!
The decline in their combat effectiveness is self-evident...
With the scorching sun overhead, many people suffered from dehydration and hallucinations, shouting and running down the mountain, trying to defect and beg for a drink of water...
However, very soon, he would be pierced through the back by an arrow from his own comrade and die...
We can't just wait to die... Shan Liang gave the final order: "Put yourself in a do-or-die situation and fight the Xianbei! Even if the water isn't clean, we can drink their blood, that shouldn't be a problem!"
At a single command, the remaining 40,000-plus men gathered together, ready to launch a final assault down the mountain!
The soldiers of Zhongshan had only one belief in their hearts: they would rather die in battle than die of thirst, for dying of thirst was simply too unbearable!
They were truly united, incredibly cohesive, and charged forward relentlessly!
Especially General Shan Liang.
Although this guy lacked command skills and military experience, he was extremely loyal to the emperor and patriotic. He took the lead and charged ahead, brandishing his saber, trying to awaken the 'fighting gene' in the blood of the Bai Di people of the grasslands.
However, what they were facing now was no longer the Xianbei cavalry that relied solely on brute force...
They had long been equipped with the "composite bow" invented by Jiang Ming, and had set up a "square formation" far away within the "effective range" so that they could fire effectively without interruption, with little effort and high accuracy!
In addition, the arrows were coated with poison, so they were basically lethal upon contact with blood!
40,000 people came down the mountain together, and that's no joke. They surged down like a flash flood!
However, their first challenge was dealing with the barbed wire they had scattered on the mountain. The soldiers, dehydrated, were constantly stumbling and falling; the barbed wire pierced their feet, and many soldiers tumbled and rolled down the slope...
Before they even reached the effective firing range of the Xianbei camp, a large number of them had already been killed or wounded.
When they got close, the Xianbei people's composite bows rained down on them, and those running in the front were naturally riddled with arrows!
In fact, these Zhongshan people never learn their lesson!
On the night of the breakout at Xingguan, they should have realized that these Xianbei people possessed a special kind of bow and arrow with a very long range, which gave them an overwhelming advantage!
However, that night, all they knew was to throw stones down the hillside, and they didn't notice this at all!
It wasn't until they fought the Xianbei again that they suffered greatly!
Logically speaking, the people of Zhongshan, being on higher ground, had an overwhelming advantage over those below, and their arrows would have shot farther!
But the result was exactly the opposite. Even when the Xianbei arrows were shot from below, they still had an absolute advantage. In an instant, the so-called "high ground" advantage charge turned into a one-sided massacre!
The army of Zhongshan died like a mudslide, their bodies rolling and scattered in a horrific mess!
Meanwhile, Shan Liang, the general of Zhongshan, was also shot in the eye by an arrow that pierced through his skull and killed him instantly!
With the death of their general, the Zhongshan army immediately fell into chaos, with everyone kneeling down and begging for mercy, expressing their willingness to surrender!
If Dugu Yan were in charge of this battle, she would definitely drive all these people back up the mountain and let them die of thirst, or continue the slaughter, leaving no one alive!
However, Murong Lie still showed 'benevolence' and immediately ordered a ceasefire. Those willing to surrender laid down their weapons and came down the mountain to drink water...
If you can survive, have water to drink, and the other party won't kill you... even a fool would know what to choose.
In particular, the tragic death of Hu Yan chilled the hearts of these Zhongshan soldiers, making them realize that there was no point in continuing to fight!
So they all surrendered and handed over their weapons!
Murong Lie kept his word, not only letting them go down the mountain to drink as much water as they wanted, but also giving them dry rations so they could have a good meal!
After they had eaten and drunk their fill, Murong Lie began to "mobilize" these people from Zhongshan!
This was also what Jiang Ming had instructed him in the secret letter...
Murong Lie told the soldiers of Zhongshan: "The ruler of Zhongshan is tyrannical and cruel, murdering loyal officials and losing the hearts of the people! You were all ordinary citizens, husbands and sons, forced to the battlefield! Wars between nations have nothing to do with ordinary people. As long as you lay down your weapons and surrender, and follow the Xianbei army, you can all return to your homes. The Khan of the Xianbei will not only not punish you, but will also distribute land equally among you, allowing you to live a happy life again..."
As a leader, you need not only the ability to make grand promises, but also a talent for public speaking!
Jiang Ming only provided Murong Lie with a rough draft; the specific details were up to Murong Lie to develop!
However, this young man spoke with great emotion and penetrating insight, maximizing the persuasiveness of his surrender offer... and large numbers of Zhongshan soldiers wept uncontrollably...
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