Chapter 249 - Wheelbarrow

The chaotic firebirds were blocked at the gate, but the guards did not stop. They dashed down the corridors, dragging water bags and pouring water on the city gate as a precaution.

On the other side of the moat, the Border Sand cavalry was enraged by Zhuo Li's corpse. Zhuo Li had been one of the four serpents who followed A'muer into Zhongbo seven years ago, a gift from A'muer to Hason. It was thanks to him that Hason had been able to sever Duanzhou's connection with the outside world in just a few days.

"Drag him away!" The cavalry looked towards Duanzhou's gate. "This reckless and foolish waste... Get your spirits up! Before Hason arrives, we must find a way across this trench!"

Yin Chang removed the plank bridge and killed the infantry pushing the wheelbarrow, causing the Border Sand cavalry to fall into a momentary panic, giving the city guards a chance to catch their breath. However, Duanzhou's moat was not a proper moat; the square bricks at both ends were not filled in to connect with the moats on the north and south sides. The trench could not hold water for long. All the sluice gates were open, and the water had already drained out. Even if the moat held, the Border Sand cavalry would soon find a way across.

Before nightfall, the eastern gate would certainly be charged by the Border Sand cavalry.

"Prepare the heavy stones," Shen Zechuan said to Qiao Tianya, turning his head. "Lift the ballista onto the wall!"

The city guards below struggled to push the ballista up the wider path. The cavalry's single-barreled cannons continued to attack, and heavy stones flew onto the city wall, creating a breach on the eastern side. Broken bricks and mud fell, and several crenels collapsed. The guards had no choice but to cover their heads and use their bodies to stop the sliding ballista.

The weight was too much for them to bear, and they were pushed back by the ballista, slipping downward. They yelled, "It's too heavy!"

Qiao Tianya leaped over the steps, ready to help, but saw a man in plain clothes lower his body slightly and lift his arms to support the spot where the ballista was sliding down. Ji Gang's white hair was covered in dust, and he bellowed in a deep voice, "Up—!"

The garrison felt a sudden weight lifted off their backs as Ji Gang's temple pulsated slightly. He stepped forward, allowing the ballista to ascend the slope slowly. When it was in position, Ji Gang's arms trembled, his back drenched with sweat.

It was now midday, and the sun blazed high in the sky. Sweat mingled with choking dust on their faces as soldiers rushed about everywhere. The archers on the battlements dared not shoot recklessly, for the enemy might exploit their arrows. They needed to conserve their ammunition until the cavalry charged. Similarly, the ballista, a deadly weapon, couldn't be used carelessly. It had to strike with fatal precision, just like how Yin Chang had taken down Zhuo Li, inflicting pain upon the cavalry.

"Divide the garrison into three teams, each defending one gate. Have the Jin Yi riders stand by at the East Gate," Shen Zechuan raised his sword-wielding hand, wiping the sweat from his cheek with the back of his hand. "We must seal off the other three gates before nightfall."

Duanzhou's granaries were well-stocked. To conquer Duanzhou, the cavalry could lay siege for an extended period, depleting its supplies and trapping the city for a month, exhausting it to death. However, Hason sought a swift victory and thus wouldn't opt for a prolonged siege. The cavalry had been attacking fiercely since the previous night. If the East Gate remained locked in a stalemate, they might circle around to the other three gates, launching a flanking attack like they did with the West Gate.

Shen Zechuan had lowered drawbridges as a defense at the other three gates, but this was only a temporary solution. The cavalry possessed siege engines; battering rams loaded with thick logs could crash through the city gates, then shatter the drawbridges, granting the cavalry unimpeded entry into the city.

"Pitch and stones," Shen Zechuan instructed. "Demolish the watchtowers within the city that have been crushed and have the garrisons defending each gate bring everything they can use for defense onto the walls. Sound the horns the moment you spot the cavalry, and throw debris to hinder their charge."

They needed to find a way out of the city as soon as possible.

Shen Zechuan's gaze turned to the southeastern horizon, where the signal fires stood silent.

***

The gentlemen were all assembled in the horse ranch, an open space large enough to accommodate several groups of civilians. Gao Zhongxiong, having just recovered his composure, bent down to rub his calf and said to Kong Ling, "Just now, that situation..."

In his anxiety, he stammered once more.

Kong Ling reassured him, "It's alright. It was already courageous of Godly Might to attempt to take Yuan Zhuo away at that time. Back when I was in Dunzhou, upon hearing that cavalry had entered the city, I truly didn't think about anything else."

Yao Wenyu clutched his sleeve, his train of thought interrupted by the silence. He looked over and saw the woman from before summoning her child to return the handkerchief. Yao Wenyu raised his hand but didn't take it, his dust-covered fingers extending slightly to gently touch the child's cheek.

Alive.

Yao Wenyu's chest rose and fell slightly with rapid breaths.

The sound of footsteps grew louder near the stable, as the defending soldiers rushed past, heading for the walls.

"Aqueduct of arrows to the west gate!" The young commander sheathed his sword and lifted debris with bare hands, "The collapsed watchtower is ours to deal with!"

"It's not enough," replied the soldier on the wall, "Just one tower collapsing isn't enough!"

There were quite a few defensive mechanisms in Duanzhou, but the armory had been emptied to support the east gate. The other three gates could only make do with what was left. The archers had expended a portion of their arrows in the morning against the Biansha infantry, so they needed to replenish the supply for the west gate, which was being blocked by carts pushed against the walls.

What should they do?

A man suddenly rose from the field, weighing an old hoe in his hand. He asked, "Can this be thrown?"

The young officer replied, "If you throw it, you won't get it back!"

"Well, then take it," the man tried his best to speak in an official dialect. "The city is surrounded, and if we don't kill the cavalry, this hoe won't be of much use anyway. Are you lacking men?"

The garrison soldiers did not respond; they had just had a conflict with the citizens at the western gate.

More men, all strong and middle-aged, stood up in the field, each carrying their own farming tools. They shouted at the garrison, "Are you short of men? If so, we're here to help!"

***

The cavalry's relentless bombardment continued until evening, when the sky turned dark. The eastern wall had been patched up repeatedly, and the reserve crenels were nearly destroyed. Still, the cavalry showed no sign of stopping, determined to break down the eastern wall.

"Those single-barreled cannons are loaded with stones," Qiao Tianya crouched behind the parapet, shouting over the noise to Shen Zechuan. "They have plenty of stones in the open fields. If this keeps up for another two days, the wall won't hold even if the cavalry don't cross the moat."

"Hasan can't wait that long," Shen Zechuan's face was dirty. "The cavalry will definitely charge before nightfall."

With Yin Chang lost, the garrison was vulnerable, and the cavalry aimed to gauge their strength. The exhausted soldiers, who had endured a day of bombardment, presented an opportune moment for the cavalry to strike.

"We'll open the city gates once they cross the moat," Shen Zechuan said. "The garrison will continue defending the walls, and the Jin Yi Cavalry will fend off the charge."

"I'll go with Fei Sheng…"

"You're with me," Shen Zechuan lifted his gaze. "We'll take turns. Once we repel the cavalry charge, immediately retreat back into the city. Don't engage in prolonged combat."

The number of cavalry far exceeded that of the Jin Yi Cavalry. Steel needles couldn't withstand broadswords head-on. Shen Zechuan only needed to break their momentum to maintain a defensive stance.

Qiao Tianya licked his lips and said solemnly, "You're a marquis, not a general."

Shen Zechuan didn't respond. He leaned against the wall and stood up, looking past the dark mass of cavalry under the dim sky towards the Tea Stone River. The river resembled a jade ribbon immersed in the sunset, reflecting the magnificent, dense clouds. A falcon soared amidst them.

Shen Zechuan's eyes gradually sharpened. "I am the Marquis of Zhongbo."

Before the crimson clouds above the Tea Stone River dissipated, the wall beside Shen Zechuan shook violently.

"The trebuchets!" The garrison soldiers on the watchtower shouted. "The cavalry's trebuchets are here!"

After resting all day after the opening salvo last night, the trebuchets were back in action. The cavalry began reorganizing their ranks, pounding cylindrical drums to swiftly convey information across the battlefield.

Shen Zechuan promptly shed his cumbersome robe, tightened the single arm restraint, and descended the steps to the bottom of the city. On horseback, Fei Sheng awaited resolutely, clad in frost. He mounted his steed and addressed Qiao Tianya, "Be vigilant at the other three gates."

Qiao Tianya bowed and declared loudly, "Duke, a great victory!"

Shen Zechuan reined his horse around, facing the passage. His exquisite face was concealed by blood and sweat, but his eyes remained bright. The brocaded cavalry behind him regulated their breathing, ready for a swift battle.

Suddenly, a nearby warhorse shifted slightly. Fei Sheng climbed aboard, drew his Embroidered Spring Saber to his front, and stared at Shen Zechuan with bloodshot eyes. "I am the Duke's personal guard," he paused, unsheathing his sword and raising his voice, "We are the Duke's shield!"

Shen Zechuan nodded slightly. Wind Treading Frost Robe began advancing. His figure gradually disappeared into the passage. Amidst the brief silence as they faced the city gate, Shen Zechuan declared, "I stand with all of you, life and death together."

The city gates opened once more, the dull thunder welcoming the last rays of sunlight amidst countless galloping hooves.

The Rainbow Eagle Flag soared in the remaining glow. The cavalry, carrying the flagstaff, charged fiercely after the orderly infantry, shouting in Border Sand dialect, "Charge forward! ——"

Fei Sheng's scattered locks danced in the wind. His scraped fingers clenched the hilt of his sword tightly. As Shen Zechuan urged his horse forward, he echoed, "A great victory!"

Wind Treading Frost Robe dashed out, stirring up dust.

The infantry set aside their shields, kneeling in neat rows while holding the portable bridges. As the cavalry approached, they raised the narrow bridges. The curved swords stepped on the planks, crossing the ditch and colliding with the brocaded cavalry beneath the city walls.

The Border Sand cavalry, refreshed after a day's rest outside the city, were full of energy, having drunk their fill of tea and eaten their share of dried meat. They had expected to face a weary garrison, but the Brocade Armor cavalry, too, had rested well and were fortified by rations, leaving no room for advantage.

Both sides clashed like blades, their raw strength colliding amidst the chaos of galloping hooves.

Yanshan Snow never met a curved blade head-on; Shen Zechuan aimed his strike precisely at the throat. The arm restraint grew heavier as blood seeped into it, trickling down his arm and staining half his body red.

The cavalry's first charge was insufficient in numbers, and the hastily erected bridge was too narrow to withstand the Brocade Armor's onslaught. They were forced to retreat, ending the charge hastily.

Shen Zechuan immediately turned his horse back towards the city. As he entered the tunnel, the city gates slammed shut once more. Torches were lit inside, revealing that it was almost the tenth hour of the night.

Shen Zechuan's right arm felt numb. He had never engaged in such prolonged combat during his time in the Brocade Armor, and after neglecting his training since arriving in Zhongbo, he now keenly felt his body's sluggishness.

His fingers were numb.

Shen Zechuan raised his left hand, expressionless, to wipe the blood from his face before swapping positions with Qiao Tianya.

Less than two hours after the Brocade Armor's rest, the cylindrical drums outside sounded again, signaling the cavalry's second charge. This time, Qiao Tianya led the defense, not returning until the first hour of the next day.

"Siege warfare," Fei Sheng observed from the battlements, watching the torches of the cavalry in motion. "They're deploying different riders each round, so this won't end until dawn."

"Hasan must be hiding some of his forces," Shen Zechuan leaned against the wall to rest, swallowing a few bites of steamed bun. "Otherwise, Cezhen wouldn't have gone silent."

Xiao Chiye had simulated battle scenarios with Lu Guangbai before he headed south. His purpose was to lure Hasan into battle, but the precursor to this was that the border guards at the entrance of the battlefield would decrease. Lu Guangbai's delay in reinforcements indicated that the fierce attack on the battlefield hadn't ceased. Hasan had long concealed his intention to invade Zhedong. There were likely more than six departments backing Amur.

Fei Sheng gazed at the cavalry and said, "I have to bring the old man back."

Shen Zechuan forced himself to finish the bun and stood up with Yanshan Snow. He hadn't slept for over a day.

"We need a plan…" Shen Zechuan lifted his head slightly. "In the next charge, Qiao Tianya doesn't need to retreat. We'll leave the city together."

Fei Sheng turned around.

Shen Zechuan's gaze was dark and resolute as he clearly stated, "Damn it."

Fei Sheng's stiff facial muscles gradually relaxed, and he didn't know why, but he suddenly burst out laughing. As he laughed, he wiped away tears and echoed the Marquis, "Damn it."