Both Zhang Jiuying's and Xiao Yi's forces fought against the Rouran army for two days, with each side experiencing victories and defeats. However, since Zhang Jiuying and Xiao Yi were on the defensive and their forces were weaker than the enemy's, the two days of fighting were extremely difficult.
Meanwhile, Emperor Qingyuan received battle reports from various regions and urgently dispatched three armies to the border for support. At the same time, he issued three imperial edicts to Tianshui City, summoning Xuanyuan Che back to the capital.
The army that Emperor Qingyuan assigned to support Tianshui was the Pei family army, which was stationed three hundred miles southwest of Tai'an Prefecture.
Pei Jie, the second young master of the Pei family, led an army of 50,000 to Tianshui City at breakneck speed.
At the same time, he ordered Situ Ran, who was more than 200 li away from Zhang Jiuying, to lead 30,000 troops to Zhang Jiuying's aid.
As people from all walks of life traveled day and night, Tianshui City also ushered in another arduous and challenging day.
After Xie Yushu and Han Zhongyu had been on guard duty all night, they finally took their shifts and rested for a day.
Apart from the wounded who were taken away for treatment, almost everyone else wolfed down their food and went to catch up on sleep.
Meanwhile, the prefect of Tianshui City had gathered everything Xie Yushu had instructed him to find the previous night: several small packets of lin powder, over sixty trained pigeons, and several large barrels of kerosene.
Han Zhongyu was unaware that Xie Yushu had prepared these things, and upon seeing this, he couldn't help but ask...
"You want these things, do you have some new idea?"
Xie Yushu didn't hide anything from him and said directly...
"I thought about it for a long time yesterday. We can't keep playing this passive defense. We should take the initiative to counterattack."
Ideally, we should inflict a heavy blow on them; otherwise, their forces outnumber ours by more than ten times, and dragging things out would be too disadvantageous for us.
But sending troops would be like throwing an egg against a rock. After much thought, I came up with a desperate solution—a solution that requires gambling on luck!
"What method?"
"Do you remember when I taught you about chemistry when the villa was making glass? It was about silicon dioxide, sodium magnesium aluminum silicon phosphorus, and so on. They are all substances found in nature, and each of them has its own characteristics."
The powder I asked them to find is the kind of thing that street performers or Taoist priests use to make talismans ignite without fire; it's called phosphorus.
These are the will-o'-the-wisps that ordinary people occasionally see in cemeteries.
It's actually because this substance is present in human bones, and it volatilizes after death, which is what causes this.
The characteristic of white phosphorus is that it has a very low combustion temperature, usually around 40 degrees Celsius. If friction occurs or it oxidizes slowly, its local temperature can also reach 40 degrees Celsius, making it very easy to burn.
Although it is early winter now, we usually use black or dark brown oilcloth to cover our grain and fodder in order to protect them from rain and snow. I think the Tatars would probably choose this kind of oilcloth to cover their grain and fodder as well.
Black is inherently heat-absorbing, and even in the dead of winter, as long as there is sufficient sunlight, the surface temperature of the tarpaulin can easily reach 40°C. If we use these pigeons to carry white phosphorus and kerosene over, we still have a certain chance of burning the enemy's grain.
Without supplies, they can't fight a protracted war. If 100,000 troops go without food for two days, not only will they be unable to fight, but their morale will certainly collapse. They'll have to retreat in less than two days.
Xie Yushu's words were simple and straightforward, and Han Zhongyu understood them immediately. Overjoyed, he asked...
"Are you serious? That's great! If we can throw them into chaos, we'll have a chance to wait for reinforcements. Even if it just holds them off for a day or two, it'll be worth it!"
"It is true that white phosphorus has a low ignition point, but apart from that, everything else is uncertain."
I can't guarantee the pigeons will actually reach the enemy's granary, I can't guarantee the Tatars really are covering the supplies with black tarpaulins, and I can't guarantee there will be enough sunshine tomorrow.
After saying that, Xie Yushu looked up at the sky and said...
"Unfortunately, it's already dawn. A large number of pigeons, or even a continuous stream of pigeons flying over, will definitely attract their attention. We can only release the pigeons in batches at night. Whether it succeeds or not, we can only do our best and leave the rest to fate!"
Han Zhongyu said
"No matter what, we have to try. The worst outcome is just holding on. Trying gives us a better chance."
After saying that, he asked the pigeon owner who was standing nearby waiting for instructions.
"Are you confident you can get these pigeons to fly to where we want them to go?"
The man thought for a moment and said...
"My lord, if we let these pigeons go hungry for a while and then release them according to the training method, I am 70% confident that they will be able to find the Tatars' grain."
"Then let's give it our all. If this succeeds, you'll be credited!"
"It is my honor to serve you, my lord, and to serve the Great Qi. I dare not take credit for it!"
Han Zhongyu nodded
"Good deeds deserve reward, and wrongdoings deserve punishment. What's yours will be yours. Go and prepare!"
"yes!"
With a glimmer of hope, Han Zhongyu felt more confident and even developed a hearty appetite. He ate with Xie Yushu before they each took the time to rest.
The intense battle of the night left them exhausted and sleepy. After eating, they went straight to bed.
I slept straight through until the afternoon, and when I woke up I heard shouts and crashes outside the city again.
As soon as I went outside, I saw wounded soldiers and fallen warriors being carried down.
Xie Yushu couldn't help but ask
"What's the situation on the city wall now?"
So many brothers were killed or wounded!
When Xie Yushu asked the person carrying the load, he replied...
"More than 300 brothers died, and about 400 or 500 were injured."
Today, the Tatars' attack was exceptionally fierce. They swarmed up the city and sent three more teams of archers who kept firing arrows at us. Even with the city walls and scarecrows as cover, we still suffered many casualties among our brothers!
Moreover, we've used up a huge number of arrows; there aren't many left on the city walls.
"Okay, I understand. You guys go ahead! Take good care of the injured brothers!"
The man responded and carried the wounded man away.
Xie Yushu went next door to take a look. Han Zhongyu and Lan Tingqingfeng were already assembling their group. Seeing that Xie Yushu and the others had also arrived, they said...
"The Tatars' attack is more intense. We can't wait for Hei to relieve us. Nearly half of our brothers on the city wall have been lost. I plan to go up an hour early to relieve them and give them a rest."
"Alright, have the brothers eaten yet?"
Tonight will likely be difficult to defend.
"You've already eaten, you should eat something too."
By the way, a letter has arrived from the capital. Reinforcements are on their way, and both the Emperor and Empress Dowager have issued an edict ordering Xuanyuan Che to return. I spoke with him, but he doesn't want to leave. After you've eaten, go and persuade him again to send him away.
"Okay! Be careful then, I'll be there in a bit."
Han Zhongyu nodded and led his men to the city wall.
Xie Yushu didn't stand on ceremony. She and Nanxing and the others picked up cornbread and wolfed it down with cabbage soup before going to find Xuanyuan Che.
Now, Xuanyuan Che only has six secret guards and six Divine Eagle Guards left by his side; the rest are with Han Zhongyu defending the city walls.
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