Chapter 130 City Defense [Two-in-one]
The north wind blew the broken snow across the gap in the city wall. The iron-gray clouds were hanging very low. A half-frozen crow hung upside down on the broken wooden beam of the watchtower. The blood beads on the tip of its beak reflected a dark red light.
Several garrison soldiers wearing grey squirrel-skin coats were squatting close to the city wall. The scales on their iron armor were covered with white frost, and the white breath they exhaled shattered in the wind as soon as it left their lips.
The northern border was particularly bleak in winter. Not far away, a pot of green medicine was bubbling in the army doctor's big pot. Several soldiers walked over and asked, "Doctor Liang, we have been drinking this medicine for more than half a month. What effect does it have?"
"It's hard to describe the smell. What does it treat? A cold? This cold won't kill you. Why would you go to the city to get herbs? It's such a hassle."
Although the border town where they are stationed is not poor, it is indeed far less wealthy than Mo Yun. It is also stressful to find so many medicinal herbs for half a month. Wouldn't it be better to prepare more food and fodder?
The biggest worry in winter wars is the lack of food supply. Once the food supply is cut off, even the most powerful army will be trapped to death in the city.
Doctor Liang stirred the herbs in the pot with a large spoon and laughed, "Don't worry, everyone. The herbs won't be used up all at once. They can be used for three or four days after being collected."
"This medicine can protect against both colds and another kind of epidemic. The general's wife specifically asked me to cook it for everyone to drink."
"Did the general's wife ask for this?" The soldiers were flattered. They never expected that the general's wife, who was thousands of miles away, would care about such a small matter.
"Yes." Doctor Liang recognized these herbs and knew they did have such an effect. He didn't expect that the general's wife also knew medicine.
"The general's wife is so nice..."
"Yes, my mother was never so considerate when I was at home in winter before."
"The general is with us through thick and thin. Although his wife is far away in Moyun, she is still thinking about us... We will follow the general till death!"
"Win the battle and return!"
"Yes! Return with victory!"
On a cold winter day, drinking a bowl of hot medicinal soup did warm one's body up instantly. Just as he finished the bowl of soup, a low and distant assembly horn sounded suddenly from the front.
“Enemy attack—enemy attack!!”
In the past few days, the Turkic army has often used this kind of harassment tactics, and they do this at any time. Everyone has long been accustomed to it. Upon hearing this, they quickly gather together and prepare to fight the enemy.
In front of the two armies, Helan Xiu, who had recovered from his injuries, was still sitting on his horse in a nonchalant manner. Seeing Chen Ting with a solemn face, the corners of his lips slightly raised, and he shouted: "Old man, this battle has dragged on for too long, and both armies are exhausted. I have heard that your Chen family army is full of elite soldiers and generals, and my Turkic warriors are also brave and good at fighting. Why don't we have a fair fight here!"
"If we lose, we will surrender and never invade again. If you lose, you will return my six border cities. How about that?"
Surrender and withdraw troops, never invade again...
These eight words are really a great temptation.
If there were no Turks, the border of the Great Zhou would be much more stable. The war has never stopped for so many years. If the two countries could really coexist peacefully, how many soldiers could return home?
Chen Ting looked at his subordinates who were obviously delighted and said in a deep voice, "Okay."
He Lanxiu issued a challenge, and when he saw Chen Ting accept it, he was secretly happy: "Then let's set the rules. You and I will each deploy our troops and determine the battle formation. No extra people are allowed, and no one is allowed to attack first. The battle will begin as soon as the drum sounds."
"Only a thousand people are sent out to fight, what about the others?" Chen Wei asked loudly, "Hundreds of thousands of troops of the Northern Border Army are just standing there and watching?"
He Lanxiu: "One battle will decide the outcome. Wouldn't it be better if fewer soldiers died? Just one thousand people. The rest of you stay where you are and don't move."
Thinking about it this way, it does make some sense. The others had no objection and looked at their commander. Seeing that Chen Ting also nodded, they couldn't help but feel happy - it's not that they looked down on the Turks, but how could these barbarians who could only rush around recklessly compare to their specially trained elite soldiers?
In front of Chen's army, the northern barbarians have no advantage in size and will only become big guys that are easier to beat.
However, Helan Xiu's rule of only allowing a thousand people to fight and the rest of the people can only stay where they are is really outdated - he came here today to issue a challenge, and the formal battle is not until three days later. After three days, the outcome will be decided in one battle, and Chen Ting doesn't even need to take action in person.
After returning, several generals thought more and more that something was wrong, and gathered in the commander's tent to discuss with Chen Ting: "Helan Xiu is full of tricks. Can we really trust his statement that the outcome will be decided in one battle? What if he sneaks up from behind?"
"It is possible, but it is not certain if it is Helan Xiu. This person values his credibility the most. Although he often uses strange tactics, they are all aboveboard... Since he took the initiative to propose it, he should not regret it, right?"
"If he wants to go around, he has to find a way to do it. We have guarded the border city like an iron barrel. How can he get around?"
"Let's see in three days. If He Lanxiu is present in person, there shouldn't be any problems..."
Before he could finish his words, he was interrupted by another person: "Have you forgotten that there is a rebel in the North who has been in the same blood with Helan Xiu for a long time? I don't believe he will be so honest."
After a heated discussion, everyone finally looked at the head coach - whether to fight or not, the final decision would still be up to Chen Ting.
The general didn't say anything, but glanced at the military advisor Che Jing beside him. The latter said with a smile: "We must be on guard against Helan Xiu. The Turks went to Canghui Mountain again a few days ago... The last time he went to Canghui Mountain to look for Qi Yaojie, you all remember what happened, right?"
The last time He Lanxiu looked for Qi Yaojie, the consequence was that they lost an important general who had fought on the battlefield for a long time. I'm afraid nothing good will happen this time.
"With the general in charge this time, that little Helan won't be able to stir up any trouble!"
"Deputy General Chen Jiang is good in every way except that he cannot stand provocation. He fell into the trap of the Turks in a fit of impulse. Every failure makes us wiser. We must not be fooled this time."
"He Lanxiu repeatedly emphasized that only 1,000 people would be sent out, and the others would stay where they are. He must be planning a surprise attack! We must not listen to him. We just don't know what his real purpose is for now."
"What I am most concerned about is, if they lose the battle, will they really withdraw their troops and never invade again?"
"He said it in front of so many people, he shouldn't regret it."
Chen Ting didn't think for too long and said directly: "Three days later, Chen Wei will fight on my behalf on the pretext that I am recovering from illness. I will lead the troops back to Moyun tonight to defend it."
The generals were stunned when they heard this decision - just go back to Moyun directly? Why is the general so sure?
Che Jing then explained: "Qi Yaojie's Canghui Mountain is not far from Moyun. His manpower is not enough to do anything. The fear is that Helan Xiu is trying to make a feint to the east and attack the west, trying to drag the army to the border, and actually join forces with Qi Yaojie to attack the base camp of Moyun City."
When everyone heard this, they realized that this was indeed the case.
The main source of food and grass for the Northern Border Army is still Moyun City, where the Duke Rong's Mansion is also located. If they can directly capture the hinterland, it will be a huge blow to the Northern Border Army.
"If He Lanxiu is a man of his word, then we are not in breach of contract and it doesn't matter if we make a wasted trip. If he is not trustworthy, this is just the right thing for us to guard against."
Everyone unanimously agreed to this decision. The general happened to be ill and could not go out, so the Turks thought that they had let down their guard.
*
As Chen Ting expected, at the same time Helan Xiu issued the declaration of war, the main force of the Turkic army had already secretly moved its position.
They had conducted a survey in advance and found that the Northern Border Army did have several defenses, but the defenders were also strong and weak. The main force was on the battlefield ahead, and the defenders were no match for the 10,000-strong army led by Hu Yanlie.
In addition, with the help of the Jinlin Gang, they made the journey very smoothly.
Three days later, Qi Yaojie and Hu Yanlie led a large army to the city, and the battle of thousands of people on the border began as scheduled.
On the mottled city wall, old man Xiahou put on his armor again. Time had carved wrinkles on his face, but his eyes were still bright and his posture was as straight as a pine tree.
On his side were the Duke of Rong and the city lord, as well as another beautiful figure - Chen Long, who was guarding her diligently.
Under the setting sun, Qi Yaojie sat on his horse, holding a knife and laughing contemptuously: "Without Chen Ting in Moyun City, are you, the old, weak, women and children, the only ones left? There's not even a man who can do anything?!"
Although the ferocious Turkic man next to him was also surprised by the people on the city wall, he was smarter than Qi Yaojie. When he saw the crossbow platform, oil torch, furnace, etc. that had been prepared long ago, he felt something was wrong.
They were launching a surprise attack, so why did these people act like they had anticipated it?
On the wall, Duke Rong smiled warmly: "I don't need my nephew to deal with you scoundrels."
Looking down from the top of the wall, the quality of this army was truly mixed. The Golden Scale Gang was a motley crowd, with neither decent armor nor proper weapons - although they were already quite large compared to other bandits, the contrast with the Turkic army was stark and quite ridiculous.
The most peculiar thing is that many of these people have familiar rashes on their faces - upon closer inspection, aren’t they the symptoms of the epidemic that Mo Yun City had been trying its best to prevent some time ago?
Although Canghui Mountain is not far from Moyun City, it is not close enough to be contagious. It is easy to imagine where these sick soldiers came from.
"Qi Yaojie, it turns out that you are the spy who is leading the Turks again!" The city lord was so angry that his saliva was flying, and he cursed: "Do you really think that you can sit back and relax after stepping on the Turks' pirate ship? Look at what you guys look like? You are just abandoned pawns charging in the front!"
This finally made Qi Yaojie pause his shameless smile, and his eyes darkened: "Stop talking nonsense, you are the ones who are surrounded now, wait until Moyun City is conquered, I'll see what you can use to argue with me."
Shen Wangshu took a quick look at the Turkic army under the city wall. It was so dark that there was no end in sight. It was quite oppressive, but——
"Madam, thirty muskets have been loaded with gunpowder and are ready to fire at your command!" Chen Long said excitedly.
Not long ago, the general's wife, who had been immersed in the alchemy room for a long time, brought out something with a strange shape and a pungent smell. She asked him to find a hill with a mysterious look on her face, saying that this thing would come in handy soon.
The lady called this thing "black powder". A small piece of it had the amazing power to blow up mountains and fill the sea. Chen Long, who saw a hot weapon for the first time, was so shocked that he couldn't close his mouth, and he was also very afraid.
Everyone in the Great Zhou was refining pills, but no one discovered that this formula could be of such great use in warfare. Instead, it was the lady who had just started refining pills who figured it out!
Chen Long couldn't imagine how powerful this black gunpowder would be if it landed on a mortal body, but just thinking about it would tell him...
Not long after the black gunpowder was developed, the enemy besieged the city. Coincidentally, it seemed as if the lady had developed it specifically for this battle.
This thing also surprised the knowledgeable Duke Rong and Old Man Xiahou, but it was still unstable, so Shen Wangshu had to watch it in person for the first time.
Their lady lying in the boudoir is as young and delicate as a flower, and it is this seemingly harmless and gentle flower that has solved two catastrophic disasters for Mo Yun City. If it were not for her, the soldiers defending the city would probably become sick men with greatly reduced combat effectiveness, just like the members of the Golden Scale Gang!
How can we defend the city like this?
Chen Long's admiration for Shen Wangshu is like a surging river, and he couldn't express it even if he spent three days and three nights.
No matter what, with this black gunpowder, Moyun City will definitely be able to hold out until the general comes to support!
On the city wall, the specially made rocket launcher was ready. After all, black gunpowder had only been developed not long ago, and the stock on hand was limited. Shen Wangshu worked tirelessly but only made fifty rockets, and every one of them had to be used on the blade.
Before the battle begins, use thirty bullets of black gunpowder to teach these Turks a lesson! Calm them down!
Shen Wangshu thought secretly.
In the solemn atmosphere, I don't know which side blew the horn of war first, woo——
Everyone was shocked. The weak and sick members of the Golden Scale Gang were indeed charging in the front. Before they set out, their Prince Canghui had said that the Turkic army would come to help, and there were only a thousand defenders in Moyun City, so the city's fall was inevitable. Therefore, they had to rush to the front so that they could grab the first credit and charge forward.
Qi Yaojie rushed forward shouting, but what puzzled him was that the row of archers on the wall did not take action. Instead, the first thing they aimed at them was a row of pitch-black round holes.
They had never seen the entrance to the cave, but for no reason, a creepy sense of crisis crept out from behind them.
Qi Yaojie's heart was beating like a drum. He had the desire to be granted a title of nobility and become a prime minister in the future, and he was also excited to make the general who guards the country lose face. Until he saw a not-so-big object falling from the top of the high wall, and then -
Bang.
As fate would have it, the exploding shrapnel pierced Qi Yaojie's eyes accurately. Before he went blind, he only heard the deafening explosion and the terrified shouts around him.
Then, after a sharp buzzing sound in his ears, King Canghui, who had boundless ambitions, completely lost all consciousness.
As soon as the battle to defend the city started, Chen Ting arrived right after him. He heard his voice before he saw him, and the loud noise made his heart beat wildly.
He rushed over with great worry and saw his delicate and gentle wife standing on the wall. She rubbed her hands with excitement and shouted "Fire!" Dozens of unidentified objects that frightened him shot out from behind her one after another, landed in the enemy group and exploded, blowing blood and flesh everywhere. The lethality was extremely strong.
The general standing guard stood at a distance, stunned.
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