Chapter 723
Kill Zhang Huyang, seize the city, and wipe away the shame!
Xu Kuan was perfectly aware of the implications; he knew all too well the dangers involved.
On one hand, the soldiers were exhausted, and a forced attack on the city would inevitably result in heavy losses; on the other hand, missing a good opportunity would make the attack on the city even more difficult tomorrow.
Caught in a dilemma, he could only remain silent, his brows furrowed in worry.
After a moment, Gongsun Kang sighed softly:
“We both know that if the Han army rests for a night, their morale will be high and their fighting strength will be greatly increased tomorrow. At that time, Huyang City will be even more difficult to capture, and all our efforts over the past few days will be in vain.”
After speaking, he looked at Xu Kuan, who still had his head bowed, and his tone softened slightly:
"If you really do not wish to join me in attacking the city, you may stay here to regroup and rest. Whether you stay or leave is up to you."
After speaking, Gongsun Kang turned around, his gaze falling on the three Liao army generals standing outside the tent, and asked in a deep voice:
"And the three of you, how should this matter be decided? Should you follow me to attack the city immediately, or stay and rest?"
Upon hearing this, the three generals exchanged glances, their expressions grave as they pondered for a moment before making their decision.
Then, the three of them bowed and clasped their hands in unison, and said in a loud voice:
"This humble general is willing to follow the Crown Prince to the death. We will immediately lead our troops to attack the city and will not give up until Huyang is captured!"
"Excellent! Truly worthy of being fine sons of our Liao army!"
A hint of approval flashed in Gongsun Kang's eyes, and he shouted:
"Come with me!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Gongsun Kang took the lead and strode out of the tent with his three generals.
Inside the tent, only Xu Kuan remained. He stood alone, lost in deep thought.
If we don't keep up, we will be disobeying military orders and betraying the Crown Prince's trust.
If they keep up, the soldiers will be exhausted and suffer heavy casualties in battle.
After a moment, Xu Kuan slowly raised his head, the struggle on his face gradually fading away, replaced by a look of determination.
The prince has made up his mind, and the soldiers are willing to follow him. As the deputy general, how can he back down in the face of battle?
Thinking of this, Xu Kuan turned and walked out of the tent, chasing after Gongsun Kang and the others.
Half an hour passed in the blink of an eye, and the setting sun was like blood.
Dust covered the faces of the Liao soldiers, their armor askew, and the weariness of days of arduous battle weighed heavily on everyone's hearts.
At the front of the battle, Gongsun Kang stood with his hand on his sword, a hint of weariness on his face, his gaze sweeping over his soldiers:
"All troops, listen up! Assemble immediately!"
Military orders are absolute. The Liao soldiers, scattered in various places to rest, were exhausted, but they formed neat squares and all their eyes were focused on Gongsun Kang.
Gongsun Kang stepped forward slowly, his gaze sweeping over each weary face:
"I know that you have been fighting hard for days and are exhausted, both physically and mentally. You have not taken off your armor for several days. But I have something to say to you all: Huyang has been captured by the Han army."
As soon as he finished speaking, a slight commotion arose within the ranks.
Gongsun Kang raised his hand and gestured for the formation to fall silent instantly. He continued in a loud voice:
“We were ordered to rush to the aid of Huyang, and our original intention was to work together with the garrison of Huyang to resist the invasion of the Han army. Now that Huyang has fallen, our failure to provide adequate assistance is a dereliction of duty.”
He paused, then his tone suddenly became impassioned:
"Now that things have come to this, only by crushing Huyang, defeating the Han traitors, and reclaiming this lost city can we atone for our sins, live up to the trust placed in us by our country, and live up to the expectations of the millions of people behind us!"
Having said that, Gongsun Kang drew his long sword from his waist:
"Soldiers, with the nation in peril and yourselves burdened with guilt, are you willing to follow me, the Crown Prince, to fight our way back to Huyang, reclaim the city, and avenge our humiliation?"
Although the soldiers still looked weary and their eyes were still tired, a surge of blood welled up in their hearts as they listened to Gongsun Kang's words and thought of the lost Huyang.
First, several captains in the front row knelt on one knee and responded loudly:
"I am willing to follow the Crown Prince and reclaim Huyang!"
"Retake Huyang! Defeat the Han traitors!"
The cheers grew louder and louder, and morale soared.
Seeing this, Gongsun Kang's eyes flashed with approval. He pointed his longsword directly at Huyang and gave a stern order:
"Set off immediately, gagged and swift, to recapture Huyang, drive out the Han traitors, and protect our territory!"
"Here!"
All the soldiers responded in unison:
"Reclaim Huyang! Drive out the Han traitors! Reclaim Huyang! Drive out the Han traitors!"
Xu Kuan, who was standing to the side, had been feeling uneasy ever since Gongsun Kang ordered the assembly.
The Han army is quite powerful, and with Huyang already lost, a hasty counterattack is unlikely to succeed.
But now, seeing the high morale of his soldiers and hearing their deafening shouts, the anxiety in his heart gradually dissipated, replaced by a sense of anticipation.
The convoy sped along, and as night deepened, the outline of Huyang City became increasingly clear.
The closer they got to the city, the stronger the smell of gunpowder became, and the more intense the unease in the hearts of the soldiers grew…
As soon as the Liao army set off, the scouts in Huyang City relayed the news back.
Xiao He and Ma Su, who were discussing defense matters in the mansion, immediately stood up upon hearing the news, unable to hide their joy.
Xiao He immediately gave the order:
"Issue my order: all soldiers must immediately ascend the city walls, stand ready for battle, prepare rolling logs, stones, bows and arrows, and oil. We must defend Huyang City and not allow the Liao army to advance an inch!"
"Here!"
Before long, the Han soldiers inside the city were fully equipped and ready to go, and they surged to various parts of the city wall to perform their respective duties.
The once quiet city instantly became heavily guarded.
Xiao He and Ma Su climbed the city wall side by side, leaning on the parapet, looking in the direction of the Liao army's attack. The two smiled at each other.
"It's finally here."
Ma Su breathed a sigh of relief:
"Gongsun Kang is eager to redeem himself and will surely launch a hasty attack, which is exactly what we want. Today, we will make sure he doesn't return alive and let the Liao army know the might of our Han army!"
The Han soldiers on the city wall were also in high spirits.
After days of vigilance and waiting, the decisive battle was finally about to begin. Thinking of the military merits that would be theirs after the battle, everyone was eager to try.
As night deepened, the Liao army soon appeared four miles outside Huyang City.
A dark mass surged toward the city like a tidal wave.
Gongsun Kang reined in his warhorse, stood at the front of the formation, and looked up, clearly seeing Xiao He and Ma Su standing side by side on the city wall.
I could see more clearly the undisguised contempt and certainty on their faces.
They acted as if victory was already assured, regarding these reinforcements as something they had already secured.
A surge of anger instantly welled up in Gongsun Kang's heart.
Exhaustion from the past few days, guilt for failing to provide adequate reinforcements, and the humiliation of being slighted at this moment, made him unable to restrain himself any longer. He immediately drew his longsword and gave the order:
"All troops, listen to my command! Form ranks and prepare for battle! Attack the city immediately!"
"Your Highness, you mustn't!"
Seeing this, Xu Kuan, who was standing beside him, immediately grabbed the reins of Gongsun Kang's warhorse and tried to dissuade him:
"The Han army has just captured Huyang and must be well-prepared. Our army has rushed here and is unaware of the city's true situation. A hasty attack could lead to unforeseen consequences. It would be better to send a small force to probe the city first, ascertain the Han army's defensive deployment, and then proceed with the attack!"
Xu Kuan's worries resurfaced.
The Han army is cunning, and Xiao Fei is not incompetent. A hasty attack would only lead to the needless deaths of our soldiers. Only by understanding their strengths and weaknesses can we have a chance of victory. But Gongsun Kang was already blinded by rage and shoved Xu Kuan's hand away:
"What's the point of testing their strength? The Han army is nothing but a weary force that managed to capture Huyang by sheer luck. Now that our army is in high spirits, it's the perfect time to press our advantage and retake the city."
"A moment's delay could lead to unforeseen circumstances!"
Having said that, Gongsun Kang turned his horse around and shouted loudly:
"Soldiers, military merit is right before your eyes, glory is at this moment!"
"Today, whoever is the first to scale the city walls will be rewarded with a thousand gold pieces and granted a fief of a thousand households. Whoever achieves the greatest merit, follow me into battle!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the Liao soldiers seemed to be injected with a stimulant, raising their weapons and preparing to charge towards the city wall.
Upon seeing this, Xiao and Ma Su on the city wall couldn't help but look at each other and burst into laughter.
Ma Su shook his head, his tone dismissive:
"Gongsun Kang was too eager for quick success and instant benefits, and as expected, he fell into the trap, attacking the city in such a hasty manner!"
Xiao He's gaze swept over the fanatical Liao army below, and he sneered:
"Today, let them die here."
Seeing the two men on the city wall laughing wildly, Gongsun Kang's anger intensified, and he pointed his long sword directly at Huyang City:
"Soldiers, raze the city walls and retake Huyang!"
The Liao soldiers under his command responded in unison, waiting for Gongsun Kang's order to charge forward.
Although Xu Kuan was still worried, he knew that he could not dissuade him now, so he could only look at Huyang City with a solemn expression.
"kill!"
Gongsun Kang swung his longsword down, and before he could finish speaking, he spurred his warhorse and charged towards Huyang City.
The Liao soldiers followed closely behind, surging towards the city wall like a tide.
Xiao He, standing on the city wall, saw the Liao army charging forward. Far from panicking, he became even more excited and waved his hand:
"Fire arrows as soon as the Liao army enters firing range!"
The Han soldiers responded in unison, drew their bows, and fixed their eyes on the Liao army charging below, ready to attack.
The Liao army charged at an extremely fast pace, with the Liaodong light cavalry leading the charge and advancing bravely, hoping to be the first to break through the Han army's defenses and storm the city walls.
But just as the first warhorse stepped into the pre-set trap area outside Huyang City, the moment its hooves missed their mark, a muffled "thud" was heard, and the warhorse fell to the ground. The Liao soldiers on its back had no time to react and were thrown off, crashing to the ground.
Caught off guard, the Liao soldiers behind were blocked by the fallen warhorses and soldiers in front, and pushed forward by the surging crowd behind them, falling one after another into the trap.
Screams and wails erupted instantly.
The once orderly charging formation instantly turned into chaos, with soldiers scattering in all directions, their previous fervor and determination gone.
Seeing this, Xiao He on the city wall laughed even more ironically, while Ma Su clapped his hands and laughed:
"Just as the Grand Marshal predicted, Gongsun Kang was so eager for quick success that he didn't even notice the trap. The Liao army is so stupid, yet they dare to invade my Huyang. They are simply courting death!"
Xiao Heyi's lips curled up, his tone icy:
"This is just the beginning. Today, we will make the Liao people pay a bloody price."
The Liao soldiers below, seeing the dense array of traps before them and witnessing their comrades fall into them one after another and perish on the spot, panicked and their charge came to an abrupt halt.
Their previously high morale vanished instantly.
Xu Kuan was greatly alarmed by this situation, knowing that if the chaos continued, the Liao army would be completely annihilated.
He immediately turned his horse around and shouted loudly:
"Everyone calm down! Stop panicking! Stop fleeing immediately and form ranks again! Anyone who disobeys will be executed!"
Upon hearing this, the panicked soldiers gradually stopped their fleeing. Their panic subsided somewhat, and they began to regroup, attempting to restore their formation.
A moment later.
The chaotic Liao army gradually calmed down and regrouped into neat square formations, but the previous fervor was long gone.
Looking at the scene before him, Xu Kuan felt a slight sense of relief, though his heart remained heavy.
He immediately ordered his soldiers to drag out the bodies of their comrades from the trap and fill it with their corpses, barely creating a narrow passage for the army to pass through.
Although the soldiers were filled with heavy hearts, they dared not delay and could only drag the corpses to fill the trap.
Before long, a narrow and muddy path of corpses was paved.
Xu Kuan was the first to step onto the passage, followed closely by the Liao soldiers, who carefully made their way forward.
Stepping through the muddy path of corpses and crossing the trap zone, Xu Kuan made a decisive move, raising his hand and shouting the order:
"Archers, form ranks and unleash a full-scale arrow barrage to cover the main force's charge!"
Before the words were even finished, the Liao archers on both sides quickly took their positions in front, their arrows aimed directly at the Han soldiers on the city wall. A dense barrage of arrows burst forth, raining down on the city wall like a storm.
Under the cover of a hail of arrows, the remaining Liao soldiers did not hesitate any longer and charged straight at the gate of Huyang City, with ladders following closely behind and carried to the front of the battle.
The Liao soldiers' eyes were red with tears as they desperately climbed the city wall, not one of them retreating even as arrows whizzed overhead.
Seeing that the Liao army had launched a fierce attack, Xiao He on the city wall no longer feigned arrogance and gave a stern order:
"All troops, counterattack! Catapults in position! Archers, aim at the city walls! Charge!"
Once the order was given, the Han soldiers on the city wall immediately took action, and huge flying stones, accompanied by the sound of the wind, crashed down on the city below.
The archers dodged the Liao army's rain of arrows, bent down to aim at the charging Liao soldiers, and fired one arrow after another into the air.
Upon seeing this, the Liao soldiers charging ahead dared not be careless in the slightest. They raised their shields, moved closer together, and tried to block the attack of flying stones and arrows.
Gongsun Kang, who was behind the lines, saw that the Liao army's advance was slowed down by the barrage of fire, and his anxiety grew even more.
He disregarded the safety of his soldiers, clinging to the hope that if he sped up, he could break through the area covered by flying stones and arrows and reach the city wall as soon as possible.
So he reined in his horse and shouted:
"Soldiers, do not stop! Do not be intimidated by the Han traitors! Charge forward at full speed! If we can breach the city walls, it will be a great achievement!"
Upon hearing this, Xu Kuan's heart sank.
He knew better than anyone that rushing through the area of flying rocks and arrows at this moment would be tantamount to courting death, and that many soldiers would inevitably sacrifice themselves in vain.
The previous trappings had already resulted in significant troop losses; a hasty advance now would only plunge the Liao army into a desperate situation.
Although Xu Kuan disagreed with Gongsun Kang's actions and even wanted to step forward again to dissuade him, he was deeply disappointed.
However, he knew Gongsun Kang's temperament; at this moment, he was blinded by anger. If he disobeyed the order, not only would he be unable to stop him, but he might also be punished, implicating himself.
Left with no other choice, he gritted his teeth and gave the order:
"Speed up the charge! Follow the prince and charge forward to retake Huyang!"
Upon hearing the order, the Liao soldiers hesitated and were filled with fear, but dared not disobey. They had no choice but to put down their shields, abandon their defenses, and charge towards the city wall with all their might.
Xiao He, standing on the city wall, saw everything clearly. His gaze locked onto Xu Kuan, who was directing the charge in the center of the formation. He then turned to Wei Yan beside him and said:
"Wenchang, do you see that Liao army general leading the charge?" (End of Chapter)