Thank you to K4+ for the ko-fi~
This motherf***ing, where did this army come from?! Anyone seeing the scene before their eyes would first be astounded. Yangyi’s terrain is open. If there were enemies approaching, it could be detected from ten miles away. But last night, there was no moon, and no torches were seen. How did an army of three thousand men, with horses, arrive at the city overnight?
After the astonishment, there was fear. Just by their attire, it could be recognized that this was a Jin army. However, there are large armies stationed near Jinyang, and the road to Shangdang is well-guarded. The nearest town, Wuxiang, requires crossing over mountains, at least seventy miles of rugged terrain. It is impossible for an enemy army to appear outside Yangyi overnight.
Could it be that they flew here with wings?! The slight drunkenness instantly turned into cold sweat. The soldiers dared not hesitate and vigorously rang the alarm bell!
“Enemy! Enemy attack!”
The piercing sound of the bell shattered the dawn’s silence and forcibly awakened those who were still hungover. They had drunk too much last night and spent the night in the brothels. Liu Mang hadn’t even dressed properly, rushing towards the commander’s bedroom. His superior had probably drunk even more and likely hadn’t woken up yet. If they delayed the military situation, it could lead to a major disaster!
It’s just unbelievable! Today is New Year’s Day. How could there still be enemy attacks?!
Filled with anger and fear, he arrived at the bedroom door, took a deep breath, and then reported, “General! The alarm bell is ringing; there’s an enemy attack!”
However, there was no response from inside the room. Liu Mang, now realizing the situation, found that there were no guards in the courtyard. The entire compound was eerily quiet, exuding an ominous aura. His face turned pale, and he pushed open the door. A pungent smell of blood rushed towards him. Liu Mang opened his mouth wide, “Ge… General!”
On the bed lay a headless corpse. The ground was covered in congealed, dark brown blood. Already inebriated1, this sight nearly made Liu Mang vomit. However, this shock also sobered him up entirely, erasing any trace of his drunkenness.
At midnight, assassins came and took away the General’s head. The next morning, a large army arrived at the city… There must be a traitor! Without delay, Liu Mang hurriedly rushed out of the room and loudly ordered his personal guards, “Detain the surrendering Jin soldiers! Interrogate anyone acting suspicious immediately! Send two hundred men to guard the city walls!”
The orders were relayed one by one. Yangyi immediately fell into chaos!
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—
“General Ge, the head of the city’s defenders has already fallen,” After receiving the message from the loyal soldiers, Yiyan immediately informed Ge Hong.
“They are truly the bravest in the army. With this, the siege becomes much easier,” Ge Hong praised.
Today’s military expedition was indeed an unconventional one. Several days ago, all the troops gathered in Wuxiang, and after sending scouts back and forth along the mountain trails, they confirmed the best marching route.
They set out just before nightfall yesterday, traveling through the night. They rested only once overnight, covering a full seventy miles of rugged mountain roads. By the time morning came, they had arrived at the foot of Yangyi City. Such an intensity of marching, especially at night, without disrupting the formation, was truly remarkable. Ge Hong, having some training in swordsmanship and a robust physique, struggled to keep up with the troops even while riding a horse for part of the journey. It was evident how courageous Yiyan’s soldiers were.
Taking advantage of the cover of the night, the army arrived and rested for an hour before daybreak. Now, as they reorganized their troops, they exuded an intimidating presence. However, these were secondary considerations. The vanguard squad sent by Yiyan was the real prelude to this battle.
A group of six individuals infiltrated the city under the cover of darkness, lying in ambush beside the defending officers. They seized their enemy’s heads while they were unprepared. In Yangyi City, there were both Xiongnu and defector soldiers. Encountering assassins at night and seeing the enemy at the city walls during the day, how would ordinary people react? Most likely, they would resort to coordinated actions. As long as the remaining defenders weren’t overly foolish, they would immediately move against the defectors. This way, without having to attack the city, the city would be thrown into chaos.
Once the people in the city were in disarray, their plan could be put into action.
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Yiyan mounted his horse, his voice heavy, “I’ll lead the cavalry to block the flanks and prevent reinforcements. I’ll leave the siege to you.”
“Lieutenant Yi, rest assured.” This wasn’t Ge Hong’s first time leading troops, and the siege plan had been formulated long ago. It was, in fact, a less demanding task than Yiyan’s assignment.
The large cavalry detachment galloped toward the south gate, and Ge Hong turned and ordered, “Let’s begin!”
With the command, dozens of craftsmen sprang into action. This nighttime raid had been kept as streamlined as possible, and they hadn’t brought much in the way of supplies, not even much food and fodder. However, there were still a few large carts in the formation, carrying precisely what was necessary for the siege: thunder cannons.
The Thunderbolt Battalion had dispatched forty artillerymen and an equal number of artisans for the purpose of transporting the thunder cannons while also providing effective firepower support. Several staff officers had already confirmed the height and distances within the city. On the west side of the main gate, they erected the cannon carts. All the craftsmen were skilled, and in no time, they had assembled the scattered components.
These three artillery carriages, compared to those used in the previous battle for Shangdang, were slightly taller. Following the instructions of the artillery commander, they were placed at a distance of three hundred paces from the city gate. This distance from the city gate was too close, just a bit beyond the range of a bed crossbow. If the defending troops sallied forth, it wouldn’t take long to reach and destroy the artillery carriages.
However, in any siege, the defending side wouldn’t readily open their gates. Because the enemy’s forces were also at a similar distance, if they started to open the gates, the enemy might launch an ambush attack. It was better to hold the city gates and wait for the enemy to tire themselves out.
This was precisely why the range of siege equipment didn’t need to be too long. Large artillery carriages like these, capable of shooting over three hundred paces, were already quite formidable.
Looking up at the sky, Ge Hong raised his voice, saying, “Artillery carriages, prepare, launch stone projectiles!”
At his command, those three massive contraptions began to move. The counterweight wooden baskets creaked as they dropped, exerting a strong force to fling the stone projectiles. A dull, whistling sound filled the air as twenty-pound stones broke free from their ropes and soared towards the walls of Yangyi City!
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※
Over a dozen defector leaders were quickly subdued, those to be interrogated were interrogated, and those who resisted were directly attacked and killed. After finally suppressing more than a thousand Jin soldiers, Liu Mang led his personal guards to the city walls.
In contrast to his expectations, the large army outside the city hadn’t yet commenced their attack. Over a thousand cavalry had already galloped straight towards the south gate, blocking the retreat route, and there were still two thousand infantrymen holding spears and swords standing in front of the city gate. But why weren’t they attacking the city yet?
“General Liu, the Jin army is assembling thunder cannons!” reported a personal guard who had already ascended the city gate.
Liu Mang was taken aback. The soldiers below might not know, but the officers above all had heard of the might of Shangdang’s thunder cannons. Even the 20,000-strong army led by Prince Lu, Liu Cong, had been repelled by these weapons. Although he didn’t understand how thunder cannons were employed in field battles, he was certain they would be even more formidable when used in a siege!
“Use bed crossbows to shoot fire arrows and burn those carriages!” Liu Mang immediately ordered!
“The distance is not enough!” The staff officer in charge of the large bed crossbow shook his head repeatedly. “We’re dozens of paces short. If we fire the crossbows now, it would be a waste of effort.”
The crossbow machinery required manpower, and considering the difficulties they had faced in the initial stages of the siege, the remaining number of crossbow bolts was limited. Squandering them like this would pose problems when the enemy eventually launched their own siege.
Liu Mang gritted his teeth, “So be it. They have only three thunder carriages. We just need to hold on until reinforcements arrive!”
What were these people thinking, daring to attack Yangyi with just three thousand men? Even with inside and outside coordination, they might not be able to breach the city gates within a single day. The main army was encamped outside Jinyang, and it would be able to rush to their aid in less than half a day. It would then be a straightforward task to eliminate them!
“Quick, light the beacon for reinforcements!” Liu Mang ordered.
However, before the soldiers could approach the beacon tower, a sharp whistling sound rang out from below the city. The thunder cannon was fired!
“Watch out!” Someone shouted, and all the soldiers on the city walls moved far away from the arrow slits.
The purpose of the thunder cannon’s stone projectiles was to smash the city walls. Taking shelter beneath the arrow slits was a surefire way to meet death. Unexpectedly, the anticipated collision sound didn’t occur; instead, the massive stone passed closely along the city wall and landed directly inside the city!
It missed the mark! Liu Mang couldn’t help but feel a glimmer of relief. Even such a massive city wall could be missed, which suggested that the rumors might not be entirely accurate! The key to using thunder cannons is to hurl giant stones at the city walls or gates with enough force to break through and make it easier for the soldiers to capture the city. However, the precision of this shot didn’t look all that great.
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But as that hint of relief emerged, cries of agony emanated from within the city. Liu Mang’s face turned ashen as he dashed to the edge of the wall to peer down. Near the direction of the barracks close to the city wall, the ground was covered in bloodstains, and several soldiers with missing limbs and broken legs were wailing in pain. Before he could fully process this, the second stone projectile landed within the city as well.
These were no ordinary stones but polished, spherical projectiles. The tremendous force did not shatter the stone, and like a rampaging boar, it tore into the crowd. Even the slightest contact caused immediate carnage! The third one didn’t have such good luck, smashing directly onto the stone-paved ground. However, more stone fragments flew, and more cries filled the air!
Their target wasn’t the city walls! A loud buzzing filled Liu Mang’s mind, and he shouted, “Quick! Stand close to the walls! Everyone, get out of the way!”
Three stone projectiles shot out, and the artillery commander by the thunder cannon shouted loudly, “The stone projectiles have entered the city!”
This was exactly the result Ge Hong needed. They had come to attack the city, which was fine. But capturing a city meant they would have to defend it themselves. If they used artillery to breach the city walls and then the Xiongnu army arrived, how could they defend against that?
Hence, the city walls were not his target. It was the defending soldiers within the city!
“Continue!” Ge Hong calmly gave the order.
The gunners immediately got to work, lowering the gun muzzles, securing the nets, and turning the winch to raise the heavy wooden baskets back to their original positions. Half a quarter of an hour passed, and the artillery carriages were once again ready, commencing another round of firing.
In total, five rounds of stone projectiles were fired. This was all the ammunition their supply train could transport. Just polishing the stone spheres took quite some effort, and they were gone in the blink of an eye.
Half an hour passed, and not a single soldier had been sent to attack the city from his side. After checking the sky again, Ge Hong ordered, “Prepare fireballs, take it slowly.”
The nets for launching stone projectiles were replaced with gun rests. Black clay jars were placed on these rests, and a gunner carefully ignited the oil on top with a rocket. When the flames began to burn, the gunners quickly stepped back, standing to the side.
Fireballs were lighter than stone projectiles, so their range was naturally longer. With a few sharp hissing sounds, the burning fireballs rushed toward the city walls. In the clay jars, they held coal tar oil that burned with thick black smoke and a foul odor, more difficult to extinguish than regular oil. The soldiers who had taken refuge in the military camp or the corners of the walls were in dire straits, and the wailing cries followed the billowing smoke.
Liu Mang’s face turned pale, “Put out the fires! Send someone to put out the fires!”
This time, the fireballs thrown not only landed within the city but also some of them fell directly onto the city walls. The walls were filled with defensive equipment, and those rolling logs and arrow feathers ignited immediately. Even some of the soldiers were affected.
The boiling water that had been prepared to defend against the enemy was now being used in a different direction. Liu Mang didn’t even have time to consider the burning barracks below. If the city walls caught fire and the enemy took advantage of it, they could capture the city in an instant. Not to mention the countless spies hidden in the city; if the city gates were wide open, the outcome would be decided immediately!
Fortunately, whether it was the slow winding of the thunder carriages below or the insufficient number of enemy fireballs, the flames that flew into the city walls were fewer than expected. With desperate efforts to extinguish the fire, they managed to slightly contain the blaze. Have the enemy started their siege? Liu Mang couldn’t afford to relax for a moment as he closely watched the enemy formation below.
At this moment, Ge Hong’s attention was focused on the sky.
Having launched two types of projectiles had taken more than an hour, and the crucial time was drawing nearer. His heart pounded.
Did Li Xin calculate accurately?
Another half hour, half an hour more…
As if in response to his hopes, the sun hanging in the sky suddenly turned a dim shade of red. It was as if a white-hot beam of light had been pricked and was starting to retract.
Ge Hong’s whole body trembled, and he swiftly approached the artillery carriage. “Prepare thunderballs.”
His voice was not loud. Only a few artillery commanders could hear it clearly. These individuals were all Sun Jiao’s trusted subordinates and Ge Hong’s own handpicked elite. Upon hearing this command, they immediately opened a wooden box and took out several iron shells.
These were crafted by the most skilled clockmakers in Shangdang. Thin-walled, hollow, and lined with a layer of silk. Inside, they were densely packed with half a canister of gunpowder. Once the long fuse on top was ignited, it wouldn’t take long for them to explode with a deafening roar.
Ge Hong had personally tested these thunderballs. Unlike the original fireworks, after the thin iron shell was blasted open, it could scatter shrapnel2, reducing several-inch-thick stone slabs to rubble. More importantly, its noise was incredibly startling, resembling thunder striking on flat ground.
With these thunderballs, most of the enemies would be thrown into panic, providing an opportunity for a city assault, as if it were as easy as turning over one’s hand. However, there was an even better opportunity.
The sunlight grew dimmer and dimmer as if someone had draped a curtain in the sky. At this moment, people gradually realized what was happening, looked up at the sky, and cries of astonishment immediately filled the air.
“Eclipse!”
A small black spot quietly appeared, as if something had bitten off a chunk of the sun. This was an eclipse?! How could there be an eclipse at this moment?!
Not to mention the commanders below, even Liu Mang was in a panic. Was it because they had raised their troops on New Year’s Day, and this was heaven’s punishment?
‘Quick, cease the battle! Cease it immediately!’ Liu Mang wanted to shout, but it felt like something was stuck in his throat, and he couldn’t even open his mouth. Chaos erupted on the city walls, with many people kneeling down. Some even started searching for something to make noise with, hoping to scare away the celestial dog that was biting the sun.
Below the city, the commanders were also in turmoil. There were only a few who knew about eclipses, and facing this sudden celestial anomaly, how many could restrain their fear?
Everyone was in chaos, but only Ge Hong stood in front of the artillery carriage, taking a deep breath. Li Xin had succeeded! Or rather, the divine power of the Lord of Xiangzhu had arrived. Ge Hong didn’t hesitate to act.
Taking a torch in hand, he brought the flame close to the fuse, and with a hiss, a tiny flame ignited.
“Launch the projectile!”
With his command, the black projectile shot into the sky.
a state of being intoxicated or drunk due to the consumption of alcohol or other substances that impair one’s mental and physical faculties.
2small metal fragments or debris that is scattered when an explosive device, such as a bomb or artillery shell, detonates
Thank you to K4+ for the ko-fi~
This motherf***ing, where did this army come from?! Anyone seeing the scene before their eyes would first be astounded. Yangyi’s terrain is open. If there were enemies approaching, it could be detected from ten miles away. But last night, there was no moon, and no torches were seen. How did an army of three thousand men, with horses, arrive at the city overnight?
After the astonishment, there was fear. Just by their attire, it could be recognized that this was a Jin army. However, there are large armies stationed near Jinyang, and the road to Shangdang is well-guarded. The nearest town, Wuxiang, requires crossing over mountains, at least seventy miles of rugged terrain. It is impossible for an enemy army to appear outside Yangyi overnight.
Could it be that they flew here with wings?! The slight drunkenness instantly turned into cold sweat. The soldiers dared not hesitate and vigorously rang the alarm bell!
“Enemy! Enemy attack!”
The piercing sound of the bell shattered the dawn’s silence and forcibly awakened those who were still hungover. They had drunk too much last night and spent the night in the brothels. Liu Mang hadn’t even dressed properly, rushing towards the commander’s bedroom. His superior had probably drunk even more and likely hadn’t woken up yet. If they delayed the military situation, it could lead to a major disaster!
It’s just unbelievable! Today is New Year’s Day. How could there still be enemy attacks?!
Filled with anger and fear, he arrived at the bedroom door, took a deep breath, and then reported, “General! The alarm bell is ringing; there’s an enemy attack!”
However, there was no response from inside the room. Liu Mang, now realizing the situation, found that there were no guards in the courtyard. The entire compound was eerily quiet, exuding an ominous aura. His face turned pale, and he pushed open the door. A pungent smell of blood rushed towards him. Liu Mang opened his mouth wide, “Ge… General!”
On the bed lay a headless corpse. The ground was covered in congealed, dark brown blood. Already inebriated1, this sight nearly made Liu Mang vomit. However, this shock also sobered him up entirely, erasing any trace of his drunkenness.
At midnight, assassins came and took away the General’s head. The next morning, a large army arrived at the city… There must be a traitor! Without delay, Liu Mang hurriedly rushed out of the room and loudly ordered his personal guards, “Detain the surrendering Jin soldiers! Interrogate anyone acting suspicious immediately! Send two hundred men to guard the city walls!”
The orders were relayed one by one. Yangyi immediately fell into chaos!
Advertisement
AD
—
“General Ge, the head of the city’s defenders has already fallen,” After receiving the message from the loyal soldiers, Yiyan immediately informed Ge Hong.
“They are truly the bravest in the army. With this, the siege becomes much easier,” Ge Hong praised.
Today’s military expedition was indeed an unconventional one. Several days ago, all the troops gathered in Wuxiang, and after sending scouts back and forth along the mountain trails, they confirmed the best marching route.
They set out just before nightfall yesterday, traveling through the night. They rested only once overnight, covering a full seventy miles of rugged mountain roads. By the time morning came, they had arrived at the foot of Yangyi City. Such an intensity of marching, especially at night, without disrupting the formation, was truly remarkable. Ge Hong, having some training in swordsmanship and a robust physique, struggled to keep up with the troops even while riding a horse for part of the journey. It was evident how courageous Yiyan’s soldiers were.
Taking advantage of the cover of the night, the army arrived and rested for an hour before daybreak. Now, as they reorganized their troops, they exuded an intimidating presence. However, these were secondary considerations. The vanguard squad sent by Yiyan was the real prelude to this battle.
A group of six individuals infiltrated the city under the cover of darkness, lying in ambush beside the defending officers. They seized their enemy’s heads while they were unprepared. In Yangyi City, there were both Xiongnu and defector soldiers. Encountering assassins at night and seeing the enemy at the city walls during the day, how would ordinary people react? Most likely, they would resort to coordinated actions. As long as the remaining defenders weren’t overly foolish, they would immediately move against the defectors. This way, without having to attack the city, the city would be thrown into chaos.
Once the people in the city were in disarray, their plan could be put into action.
Advertisement
AD
Yiyan mounted his horse, his voice heavy, “I’ll lead the cavalry to block the flanks and prevent reinforcements. I’ll leave the siege to you.”
“Lieutenant Yi, rest assured.” This wasn’t Ge Hong’s first time leading troops, and the siege plan had been formulated long ago. It was, in fact, a less demanding task than Yiyan’s assignment.
The large cavalry detachment galloped toward the south gate, and Ge Hong turned and ordered, “Let’s begin!”
With the command, dozens of craftsmen sprang into action. This nighttime raid had been kept as streamlined as possible, and they hadn’t brought much in the way of supplies, not even much food and fodder. However, there were still a few large carts in the formation, carrying precisely what was necessary for the siege: thunder cannons.
The Thunderbolt Battalion had dispatched forty artillerymen and an equal number of artisans for the purpose of transporting the thunder cannons while also providing effective firepower support. Several staff officers had already confirmed the height and distances within the city. On the west side of the main gate, they erected the cannon carts. All the craftsmen were skilled, and in no time, they had assembled the scattered components.
These three artillery carriages, compared to those used in the previous battle for Shangdang, were slightly taller. Following the instructions of the artillery commander, they were placed at a distance of three hundred paces from the city gate. This distance from the city gate was too close, just a bit beyond the range of a bed crossbow. If the defending troops sallied forth, it wouldn’t take long to reach and destroy the artillery carriages.
However, in any siege, the defending side wouldn’t readily open their gates. Because the enemy’s forces were also at a similar distance, if they started to open the gates, the enemy might launch an ambush attack. It was better to hold the city gates and wait for the enemy to tire themselves out.
This was precisely why the range of siege equipment didn’t need to be too long. Large artillery carriages like these, capable of shooting over three hundred paces, were already quite formidable.
Looking up at the sky, Ge Hong raised his voice, saying, “Artillery carriages, prepare, launch stone projectiles!”
At his command, those three massive contraptions began to move. The counterweight wooden baskets creaked as they dropped, exerting a strong force to fling the stone projectiles. A dull, whistling sound filled the air as twenty-pound stones broke free from their ropes and soared towards the walls of Yangyi City!
Advertisement
AD
※
Over a dozen defector leaders were quickly subdued, those to be interrogated were interrogated, and those who resisted were directly attacked and killed. After finally suppressing more than a thousand Jin soldiers, Liu Mang led his personal guards to the city walls.
In contrast to his expectations, the large army outside the city hadn’t yet commenced their attack. Over a thousand cavalry had already galloped straight towards the south gate, blocking the retreat route, and there were still two thousand infantrymen holding spears and swords standing in front of the city gate. But why weren’t they attacking the city yet?
“General Liu, the Jin army is assembling thunder cannons!” reported a personal guard who had already ascended the city gate.
Liu Mang was taken aback. The soldiers below might not know, but the officers above all had heard of the might of Shangdang’s thunder cannons. Even the 20,000-strong army led by Prince Lu, Liu Cong, had been repelled by these weapons. Although he didn’t understand how thunder cannons were employed in field battles, he was certain they would be even more formidable when used in a siege!
“Use bed crossbows to shoot fire arrows and burn those carriages!” Liu Mang immediately ordered!
“The distance is not enough!” The staff officer in charge of the large bed crossbow shook his head repeatedly. “We’re dozens of paces short. If we fire the crossbows now, it would be a waste of effort.”
The crossbow machinery required manpower, and considering the difficulties they had faced in the initial stages of the siege, the remaining number of crossbow bolts was limited. Squandering them like this would pose problems when the enemy eventually launched their own siege.
Liu Mang gritted his teeth, “So be it. They have only three thunder carriages. We just need to hold on until reinforcements arrive!”
What were these people thinking, daring to attack Yangyi with just three thousand men? Even with inside and outside coordination, they might not be able to breach the city gates within a single day. The main army was encamped outside Jinyang, and it would be able to rush to their aid in less than half a day. It would then be a straightforward task to eliminate them!
“Quick, light the beacon for reinforcements!” Liu Mang ordered.
However, before the soldiers could approach the beacon tower, a sharp whistling sound rang out from below the city. The thunder cannon was fired!
“Watch out!” Someone shouted, and all the soldiers on the city walls moved far away from the arrow slits.
The purpose of the thunder cannon’s stone projectiles was to smash the city walls. Taking shelter beneath the arrow slits was a surefire way to meet death. Unexpectedly, the anticipated collision sound didn’t occur; instead, the massive stone passed closely along the city wall and landed directly inside the city!
It missed the mark! Liu Mang couldn’t help but feel a glimmer of relief. Even such a massive city wall could be missed, which suggested that the rumors might not be entirely accurate! The key to using thunder cannons is to hurl giant stones at the city walls or gates with enough force to break through and make it easier for the soldiers to capture the city. However, the precision of this shot didn’t look all that great.
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AD
But as that hint of relief emerged, cries of agony emanated from within the city. Liu Mang’s face turned ashen as he dashed to the edge of the wall to peer down. Near the direction of the barracks close to the city wall, the ground was covered in bloodstains, and several soldiers with missing limbs and broken legs were wailing in pain. Before he could fully process this, the second stone projectile landed within the city as well.
These were no ordinary stones but polished, spherical projectiles. The tremendous force did not shatter the stone, and like a rampaging boar, it tore into the crowd. Even the slightest contact caused immediate carnage! The third one didn’t have such good luck, smashing directly onto the stone-paved ground. However, more stone fragments flew, and more cries filled the air!
Their target wasn’t the city walls! A loud buzzing filled Liu Mang’s mind, and he shouted, “Quick! Stand close to the walls! Everyone, get out of the way!”
Three stone projectiles shot out, and the artillery commander by the thunder cannon shouted loudly, “The stone projectiles have entered the city!”
This was exactly the result Ge Hong needed. They had come to attack the city, which was fine. But capturing a city meant they would have to defend it themselves. If they used artillery to breach the city walls and then the Xiongnu army arrived, how could they defend against that?
Hence, the city walls were not his target. It was the defending soldiers within the city!
“Continue!” Ge Hong calmly gave the order.
The gunners immediately got to work, lowering the gun muzzles, securing the nets, and turning the winch to raise the heavy wooden baskets back to their original positions. Half a quarter of an hour passed, and the artillery carriages were once again ready, commencing another round of firing.
In total, five rounds of stone projectiles were fired. This was all the ammunition their supply train could transport. Just polishing the stone spheres took quite some effort, and they were gone in the blink of an eye.
Half an hour passed, and not a single soldier had been sent to attack the city from his side. After checking the sky again, Ge Hong ordered, “Prepare fireballs, take it slowly.”
The nets for launching stone projectiles were replaced with gun rests. Black clay jars were placed on these rests, and a gunner carefully ignited the oil on top with a rocket. When the flames began to burn, the gunners quickly stepped back, standing to the side.
Fireballs were lighter than stone projectiles, so their range was naturally longer. With a few sharp hissing sounds, the burning fireballs rushed toward the city walls. In the clay jars, they held coal tar oil that burned with thick black smoke and a foul odor, more difficult to extinguish than regular oil. The soldiers who had taken refuge in the military camp or the corners of the walls were in dire straits, and the wailing cries followed the billowing smoke.
Liu Mang’s face turned pale, “Put out the fires! Send someone to put out the fires!”
This time, the fireballs thrown not only landed within the city but also some of them fell directly onto the city walls. The walls were filled with defensive equipment, and those rolling logs and arrow feathers ignited immediately. Even some of the soldiers were affected.
The boiling water that had been prepared to defend against the enemy was now being used in a different direction. Liu Mang didn’t even have time to consider the burning barracks below. If the city walls caught fire and the enemy took advantage of it, they could capture the city in an instant. Not to mention the countless spies hidden in the city; if the city gates were wide open, the outcome would be decided immediately!
Fortunately, whether it was the slow winding of the thunder carriages below or the insufficient number of enemy fireballs, the flames that flew into the city walls were fewer than expected. With desperate efforts to extinguish the fire, they managed to slightly contain the blaze. Have the enemy started their siege? Liu Mang couldn’t afford to relax for a moment as he closely watched the enemy formation below.
At this moment, Ge Hong’s attention was focused on the sky.
Having launched two types of projectiles had taken more than an hour, and the crucial time was drawing nearer. His heart pounded.
Did Li Xin calculate accurately?
Another half hour, half an hour more…
As if in response to his hopes, the sun hanging in the sky suddenly turned a dim shade of red. It was as if a white-hot beam of light had been pricked and was starting to retract.
Ge Hong’s whole body trembled, and he swiftly approached the artillery carriage. “Prepare thunderballs.”
His voice was not loud. Only a few artillery commanders could hear it clearly. These individuals were all Sun Jiao’s trusted subordinates and Ge Hong’s own handpicked elite. Upon hearing this command, they immediately opened a wooden box and took out several iron shells.
These were crafted by the most skilled clockmakers in Shangdang. Thin-walled, hollow, and lined with a layer of silk. Inside, they were densely packed with half a canister of gunpowder. Once the long fuse on top was ignited, it wouldn’t take long for them to explode with a deafening roar.
Ge Hong had personally tested these thunderballs. Unlike the original fireworks, after the thin iron shell was blasted open, it could scatter shrapnel2, reducing several-inch-thick stone slabs to rubble. More importantly, its noise was incredibly startling, resembling thunder striking on flat ground.
With these thunderballs, most of the enemies would be thrown into panic, providing an opportunity for a city assault, as if it were as easy as turning over one’s hand. However, there was an even better opportunity.
The sunlight grew dimmer and dimmer as if someone had draped a curtain in the sky. At this moment, people gradually realized what was happening, looked up at the sky, and cries of astonishment immediately filled the air.
“Eclipse!”
A small black spot quietly appeared, as if something had bitten off a chunk of the sun. This was an eclipse?! How could there be an eclipse at this moment?!
Not to mention the commanders below, even Liu Mang was in a panic. Was it because they had raised their troops on New Year’s Day, and this was heaven’s punishment?
‘Quick, cease the battle! Cease it immediately!’ Liu Mang wanted to shout, but it felt like something was stuck in his throat, and he couldn’t even open his mouth. Chaos erupted on the city walls, with many people kneeling down. Some even started searching for something to make noise with, hoping to scare away the celestial dog that was biting the sun.
Below the city, the commanders were also in turmoil. There were only a few who knew about eclipses, and facing this sudden celestial anomaly, how many could restrain their fear?
Everyone was in chaos, but only Ge Hong stood in front of the artillery carriage, taking a deep breath. Li Xin had succeeded! Or rather, the divine power of the Lord of Xiangzhu had arrived. Ge Hong didn’t hesitate to act.
Taking a torch in hand, he brought the flame close to the fuse, and with a hiss, a tiny flame ignited.
“Launch the projectile!”
With his command, the black projectile shot into the sky.
a state of being intoxicated or drunk due to the consumption of alcohol or other substances that impair one’s mental and physical faculties.
2small metal fragments or debris that is scattered when an explosive device, such as a bomb or artillery shell, detonates
