The enemy is at the gates
With the joint command of Prince Heng and Prince Zhao, and the unprecedented efficiency of the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Revenue, the 30,000 elite troops of the capital camp were assembled and broke camp in just two days. Like an iron torrent, they marched day and night straight toward Lin'an City.
Along the way, the closer they got to Lin'an, the stronger the acrid smell and faint stench of blood became in the air.
On the official road, small groups of people began to appear, followed by large groups of refugees fleeing the disaster.
They were ragged, emaciated, and had vacant eyes. They carried their families and walked with faltering steps. When they saw the army approaching, they first hid in fear. But when they saw the banner of the Great Shang, they burst into tears as if they had survived a catastrophe, and knelt down to beg the soldiers to save Lin'an.
"The Northern Di dogs are not human! They are beasts!"
"The city has fallen... Everyone is dead... So many people have died..."
"General, please, go quickly..."
The heartbreaking cries and the horrific scene before them fueled the already simmering anger of the army, but also instilled a heavy sense of pressure in them.
Zongzheng Zhaoran rode on his horse, looking at the tragic scene along the way. His face turned pale, and he tightened his grip on the reins slightly. Although he was eager to achieve merit, he had never faced the cruelty of war so directly.
Zongzheng Hengyu's face remained as cold and hard as iron, but his deep eyes grew increasingly icy, like molten lava surging beneath the ice.
By dusk on the third day, the vanguard of the army could already see the outline of Lin'an city in the distance.
The once idyllic, picturesque place is now shrouded in an ominous dark red sky. Several thick, black plumes of smoke still rise into the air, and the faint sounds of shouting and crying from within the city, even from a distance, are chilling.
"Report!" A scout galloped in with an urgent voice, "Marshal! The East and North gates of Lin'an are still fiercely contested, but the Di troops' offensive is relentless! The West and South gates have... have basically fallen. Large numbers of Di troops have entered the city and are engaged in street fighting! There are multiple fires within the city, and rioters are taking advantage of the chaos to loot, and the civilians..."
"Enough." Zongzheng Hengyu raised his hand to interrupt, his voice icy. "Where is the enemy's main force deployed? Who is the commander? What is their strength?"
The scout, panting, replied, "Reporting to the Marshal! The enemy's main force numbers about 20,000 cavalry, stationed in camps outside the four gates, taking turns attacking the city. Those who have entered the city to plunder are mostly small groups of troops and affiliated tribes. The commander is the Left Wise King of the Northern Barbarians, Huyan Shuo! His main camp is located outside the west gate!"
“Huyan Shuo…an old rival.” A cold glint flashed in Zongzheng Hengyu’s eyes, and he immediately gave the order.
"All troops, accelerate! Set up camp ten miles north of Lin'an City, nestled against the mountain! Once the central command tent is erected, all officers of the rank of adjutant and above shall immediately convene for a meeting!"
"yes!"
Zongzheng Zhaoran, who was listening nearby, interjected, "Ninth Brother, why not directly attack the enemy camp at the West Gate and catch them off guard?" He seemed somewhat anxious, eager to achieve merit as soon as possible.
Zongzheng Hengyu glanced at him and said in a calm but unquestionable tone, "Our army has made a long march and is exhausted. The enemy is well-rested and ready for battle. To attack rashly is a cardinal sin in warfare. We must set up camp, hold our ground, and scout out the enemy's situation before we can strike with certainty."
He paused, then added, "Since Brother Zhao is the deputy commander-in-chief and holds half of the military power, we will need to discuss this matter together later."
Zongzheng Zhaoran was momentarily speechless. Looking at Zongzheng Hengyu's self-righteous commanding posture, he felt somewhat displeased, but Zongzheng Hengyu's words were reasonable and well-founded, so he could not refute them and could only mutter, "...Ninth Brother has thought things through thoroughly."
As night fell, torches illuminated the central command tent.
A huge map of Lin'an's defenses lay on the table, marked with countless symbols indicating the enemy's position and our own, creating a solemn and tense atmosphere.
Zongzheng Hengyu stood in the main seat, his black armor cold and his gaze sharp as lightning, sweeping over the solemn-looking generals in the tent, including Zongzheng Zhaoran, who sat in the deputy seat with an unnatural expression.
"Everyone is already aware of the situation," Zongzheng Hengyu said, his voice not loud, but clearly reaching everyone's ears.
"Lin'an is half-fallen, and the people are suffering terribly. Our army's primary task is not to engage in a decisive battle with the main force of the Northern Barbarians in the field, but to recapture the city gates! Separate the invading Barbarians from the main force outside the city! Close the gates and beat the dogs!"
He pointed heavily at the city defense map: "Therefore, at dawn tomorrow, we will divide our forces into four routes!"
"The first route, led by General Li Zan, will consist of 5,000 elite cavalry, many of them bearing banners, who will feign an attack on the Di army camp outside the North Gate. This will create the illusion that the main force is attacking the North Gate, thus drawing Huyan Shuo's attention and forces!"
"Second route," he said, turning his gaze to a resolute-faced veteran general, "Left Guard General Zhang Wei, you will lead 8,000 infantrymen, armed with siege weapons, to launch a strong attack on the East Gate! The battle at the East Gate is still fierce, and the defenders are still resisting. With the help of both inside and outside forces, you must open a breach as quickly as possible to support the remaining troops and clear out the enemy forces in the eastern part of the city!"
“The third route,” he said, turning to another general, “is led by General Wang Meng of the Right Guard, who will lead 5,000 elite troops. Under the cover of night and a feint attack, they will sneak to the south gate and ambush the enemy. When the east gate is attacked and the enemy forces are thrown into disarray, they will seize the opportunity to recapture the south gate and take control of the city!”
“The last route…” Zongzheng Hengyu’s gaze finally landed on the core of the map, the West Gate.
"I will personally lead 10,000 elite troops to storm the west gate! Huyan Shuo's camp must be where the enemy's elite forces are concentrated. I will personally confront him! Once we capture the west gate, blocking the enemy's retreat and reinforcement routes, the Di invaders entering the city will be like turtles in a jar!"
The deployment was clear and decisive, the objectives were well-defined, and all the generals obeyed the orders with complete trust.
Zongzheng Zhaoran frowned and said, "Ninth Brother... Marshal, isn't this plan too risky? If you personally attack the West Gate and face the enemy's main force, what if you fail...? Besides, as the deputy commander, how can I sit idly by and watch the commander-in-chief take such a risk? It would be better if I led the army to attack the West Gate!"
The tent fell silent instantly. The veteran generals exchanged glances, their expressions varied. Everyone could tell that King Zhao wanted to claim the credit first; Ximen was the toughest nut to crack, but also the one who had contributed the most.
Zongzheng Hengyu looked at him, his eyes calm and unwavering: "The deputy commander is very thoughtful. But Huyan Shuo is cunning and fierce, no ordinary enemy general. The battle at Ximen is crucial to the overall situation and cannot be lost. Only if I go personally can we adapt to the situation. My elder brother has other important responsibilities."
He pointed to the central area of Lin'an City on the map: "Once there is progress at the east, south, and north gates, please lead your 5,000 troops into the city through the east or south gate to clear out the remaining enemies, stabilize order, appease the people, and extinguish the fire! This task is crucial to the recovery of Lin'an's vitality, and only with your benevolence can you be competent."
These words, seemingly granting Zongzheng Zhaoran immense authority and important tasks, actually kept the most dangerous and crucial siege mission firmly in his own hands.
The relatively safe but tedious post-war work was entrusted to Zongzheng Zhaoran. This both saved face for King Zhao and ensured the unity and efficiency of military command.
The generals in the tent were all shrewd men, and they naturally understood Zongzheng Hengyu's intentions. They all echoed, "The Marshal is absolutely right! Eliminating the remaining enemy and pacifying the people is of paramount importance!"
"Your Highness Prince Zhao is benevolent and virtuous, and he will surely bring peace and stability to the people of Lin'an soon!"
Zongzheng Zhaoran's face turned pale and then red; how could he not understand the meaning behind it?
Let him do the job of cleaning up the battlefield?
Wouldn't all the credit go to Zongzheng Hengyu?
But he couldn't argue that if he insisted on attacking Ximen, it would make him seem disregard the overall situation and be short-sighted.
He gritted his teeth and forced a smile: "...The Marshal has thought things through thoroughly. In that case, I will take charge of matters within the city and will certainly not fail in my mission!"
With the strategy decided, the generals responded enthusiastically and returned to their camps to prepare.
At dawn the following day, the battle began as scheduled.
Li Zan's five thousand elite cavalry swept towards the north gate like a whirlwind. War drums beat, banners fluttered, and the momentum was overwhelming. As expected, it attracted the attention of the Northern Di army. There was a commotion in the enemy camp outside the north gate, and the troops began to move towards the north gate.
Immediately afterwards, outside the East Gate, Zhang Wei led 8,000 infantrymen, carrying ladders and pushing battering rams, like a black tide, launching a fearless and fierce attack on the East Gate, where fierce fighting was still taking place!
Upon seeing the banners of reinforcements, the defenders on the city walls erupted in thunderous cheers, putting up an even fiercer resistance. With this coordinated attack from within and without, a breach was quickly torn in the eastern gate's defensive line!
Almost simultaneously, Zongzheng Hengyu personally led 10,000 elite troops of the central army, like arrows released from a bow, silently and swiftly thrusting straight into the west gate! They avoided the front, and from the flank, like a sharp knife, they fiercely wedged into Huyan Shuo's camp!
The battle outside the West Gate instantly intensified! Zongzheng Hengyu took the lead, his spear like a dragon, unstoppable! His black armor was quickly soaked with the blood of his enemies.
He calmly commanded his troops to divide, encircle, and annihilate them, employing tactics with unparalleled skill. He carved a bloody path through the Di army's camp, which had a numerical advantage, and headed straight for the central command flag!
Huyan Shuo did not expect Zongzheng Hengyu to arrive so quickly and fiercely. He was caught off guard and was forced to retreat in defeat.
Meanwhile, outside the south gate, Wang Meng's ambush troops also took the opportunity to launch a surprise attack. The south gate's defenses were relatively weak and were quickly breached.
Battle reports poured into Zongzheng Zhaoran's army, which had just entered the city through the east gate and begun to mop up the remaining enemy forces.
Listening to the deafening shouts of battle and the constant stream of victory reports from the west gate, King Zhao sat in the temporarily requisitioned government office, his face so gloomy it could drip water.
His generals all marveled at King Heng's brilliant military strategy.
"Report! Deputy Commander! The West Gate has been breached! His Highness Prince Heng has personally killed the Northern Di general Luhatu! Huyan Shuo has led his remaining troops in a rout!"
"Report! The East Gate is completely under control, and General Zhang is mopping up the remaining enemy forces!"
"Report! The South Gate is now under our control!"
Each piece of good news was like a slap in the face to Zongzheng Zhaoran. He clenched his fists, his nails digging deep into his palms.
However, just when everyone thought victory was assured, a messenger covered in blood rushed into the hall where Zongzheng Zhaoran was, his voice shrill.
"Report! Your Highness Prince Zhao! Something terrible has happened! The Northern Di... the Northern Di have ambushed a large number of cavalry at Luoyan Slope west of the city! They are feigning a retreat to lure Your Highness into pursuit! Your Highness... he has fallen into an ambush! He is surrounded! General Li Zan's feigned attack troops are also entangled and unable to return to provide reinforcements! The situation is critical!"
"What?!" King Zhao suddenly stood up, his face flashing with shock and astonishment, as well as a complex and indescribable light.
All eyes instantly turned to him. The only force that could be mobilized quickly to provide aid was his 15,000 fresh troops, not yet fully engaged in combat.
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