Chapter 203 Yuan Yang
"General! Something terrible has happened! The city...the city gate! The city gate has exploded!!"
A bodyguard scrambled in, his face as white as a ghost, his voice trembling, "The...the Western Han Army! They've broken in!!"
Zhang Kui was struck dumb!
He scrambled to the window and pushed it open.
The sight before him terrified him!
In the direction of the south gate, the once tall and sturdy city gate, along with half of the city wall, has disappeared, leaving only a huge gap!
The broken stones and wood were burning with flames, billowing thick smoke!
Under the firelight, countless soldiers in black armor were surging into the ruins like a black tide!
The shouts of battle were deafening!
Flames soared into the sky from the east, west, and north gates of the city, and after a deafening roar, all the gates were flung open! Countless dark figures were pouring in!
Xie Sangning used the elite troops infiltrated by the caravan and the main force of the Xihan Guard, who had been lying in ambush outside the city, to simultaneously detonate the lightning bolts that the caravan had secretly installed inside the four city gates at the agreed time of night.
The thunder and fire she developed was far more powerful than the city defenders of this era could have imagined!
The heavy city gates and sturdy bricks and stones were as fragile as paper in front of it!
The massive explosion not only instantly destroyed the fortifications, but the terrifying shockwave and sound waves it generated also killed or stunned most of the guards near the city gate in the first instant!
Those who survived were terrified by this scene that resembled divine punishment, losing all will to fight!
"kill!"
Those who surrender will not be killed!
"Those who kneel down and lay down their weapons will be spared!"
The deafening shouts of battle, accompanied by the muffled thud of iron hooves, swept across the city from all four directions!
The soldiers of Xihanwei were well-trained. After entering the city, they did not rush into street fighting. Instead, they moved in groups of 100 men along the main road and rushed towards several key locations in the city as quickly as possible: the military camp, the armory, the granary, and most importantly, the General's Mansion!
The explosion signaled the final assault.
Most of the garrison in the city were still sleeping in their barracks when the sudden, terrifying explosion and deafening shouts of battle completely stunned them!
Many people rushed out of the barracks in disheveled clothes, only to see flames soaring into the sky and hear panicked shouts coming from all directions.
Fighting spirit? Resistance?
Before the devastating power of Lei Huo and the overwhelming offensive of Xi Han Wei, which was like divine soldiers descending from the sky, they had long since vanished!
The soldiers who rushed out of the camp were like headless flies. Some tried to resist, but were instantly overwhelmed by the surging black tide; some tried to escape, but found that all their escape routes were blocked; and most, led by their officers, chose to kneel down and surrender.
General's Mansion.
Zhang Kui was terrified and, under the protection of his personal guards, hurriedly tried to escape through the back door.
As soon as I rushed to the back gate, I saw a group of black-armored soldiers covered in blood and exuding a murderous aura blocking the way!
Leading the group was a young general with a cold face, wielding a long, blood-dripping sword!
"Zhang Kui! Where are you going!"
"Spare me...spare me! I surrender! I surrender!" Zhang Kui's legs went weak, and he knelt down with a thud, pleading and crying bitterly.
Lin Wei didn't even glance at him, his gaze sweeping over the few guards behind him who were trying to draw their swords and resist.
"kill!"
As the command was given, the bowstrings behind him twanged in unison!
puff!
Those guards were instantly riddled with arrows!
Zhang Kui was so frightened that he soiled himself, collapsed to the ground, and completely lost consciousness.
The battle began abruptly and ended even more swiftly.
When Xie Sangning rode his jet-black warhorse, surrounded by his personal guards, and slowly entered Yuanyang City through the burning ruins of the city gate, it was not yet fully light.
The city streets were filled with kneeling prisoners, who had lost their armor and weapons and were trembling with fear.
The soldiers of Xihanwei were methodically clearing the battlefield, taking prisoners, extinguishing the fire, and taking over the treasury.
Magistrate Qu, accompanied by his entourage of officials from Xihan, followed closely behind, acting like stewards, as they began to inventory and receive the wealth of this prosperous city—grain, weapons, gold, and silver…
Apart from the lingering smells of gunpowder, blood, and ruins, Yuanyang City has largely returned to order.
Xie Sangning rode his horse to the center of Yuanyang City.
Magistrate Qu, Yin Bai, and others stood respectfully waiting.
"Reporting to the young lady!" General Lin Wei's voice boomed, filled with the excitement of victory, "Yuanyang City has been captured! Of the 35,000 defending troops, approximately 8,000 were killed or wounded, and over 20,000 were captured! The defending general Zhang Kui was captured alive! Our casualties... are less than 800!"
This number is nothing short of miraculous in siege warfare!
Yin Bai stepped forward, his eyes gleaming with excitement: "Young Miss, Lei Huo has won the first battle! Its power exceeded expectations! All four gates were breached in one strike! The defending troops are terrified and have almost no power to resist!"
Xie Sangning sat upright on his horse, looking down at the city that had just been ravaged by war and had changed hands.
The cold wind whipped up her dark cloak, and her young face showed little excitement, only an air of self-assurance that suggested she was in complete control.
"Very good." She said calmly, "Pass on the order!"
"First, strengthen the defenses of Yuanyang! Repair any damaged sections of the city wall immediately using captured supplies! Deployment standards should follow those of Xihan City!"
"Second, thoroughly investigate the treasury and granaries! Register all supplies! Half will be used for military supplies, and the other half... Magistrate Qu!"
"Your humble servant is here!" Magistrate Qu bowed excitedly. Today's visit made him feel that his future was bright!
"Immediately organize manpower to open the granaries and distribute grain! Within Yuanyang City, all registered households will receive grain at a fixed price! Set up soup kitchens for three days to provide relief to displaced people and beggars!"
"yes!"
Immediately after capturing a city, provide relief to the common people and win their hearts; this is like buying bones with a thousand pieces of gold!
"Third, the screening of prisoners! The old, weak, sick, and disabled will be given a small amount of money and food and sent back to their hometowns! The able-bodied will be dispersed and reorganized for training; those who show any signs of weakness will be killed on the spot! Officers will keep a close watch on them and deal with them separately!"
"Fourth, send a message to Mr. Zhuge: Yuanyang has fallen! Instruct him to have the Xie family army from Langqiu Mountain join me!"
"Fifth, from today onwards, no one may enter or leave Yuanyang City, and no news of this may be leaked out."
"Sixth," her voice suddenly turned cold, filled with murderous intent, "behead the captured garrison commander Zhang Kui, along with his family and confidants, in public! Hang their heads at the east gate of Yuanyang as a warning! Crimes: embezzlement of military funds, cowardice in the face of the enemy, abandonment of the city and loss of territory!"
Although executing a surrendered general is illogical, Xie Sangning doesn't need a reputation for benevolence at this moment; he needs to establish his authority!
Let everyone see clearly what happens if they resist her!
When the heads of Zhang Kui and his cronies and family members were hung high above the east gate of Yuanyang, the entire city fell into utter silence.
Fear swept through every corner.
No one dared to question the newly raised black flag atop the city wall anymore.
Meanwhile, several fast horses galloped out of Yuanyang City and headed towards Wolf Hill.
News of the great victory at Yuanyang and Xie Sangning's orders spread like wildfire, igniting the Xie family army, which had been waiting there like hungry tigers!
The army finally reunited at the foot of Yuanyang City!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
