Chapter 729
Tomorrow's battle: Make the Liao army come without order and defend Huyang City!
Zhang Liao stood with his hand on his sword, his gaze fixed on Xun Shi, who was swaying precariously opposite him, without a trace of taking advantage of his vulnerability.
He has always respected his opponents with blood ties, and even if they are enemies, he would not give them any reason to criticize him.
Xun Shi, leaning on his halberd, swayed slightly, but a faint smile appeared on his lips:
"I volunteered for this challenge; I never expected to come back alive."
Before he could finish speaking, a mouthful of blood gushed from his throat and dripped down his chin.
Zhang Liao's eyes flickered slightly, and he understood completely in a moment.
Xun Shi's desire was not for survival, but for a dignified death on the battlefield.
He composed himself, his tone heavy as iron, each word clear and distinct:
"Then I will grant your wish."
Thanks.
Xun Shi nodded slightly, his eyes showing no fear, only relief, and his gaze toward Zhang Liao even held a hint of mutual respect between heroes.
Zhang Liao slowly closed his eyes, his aura gradually deepening, and he gripped his long sword in his hand, his fighting spirit quietly gathering.
On the other side, Xun Shi slowly slung his halberd behind his back, raised his hand to wipe the blood from the corner of his lips, and faced off against Zhang Liao from a distance, each gathering their strength.
Only the howling wind remained on the battlefield.
A moment later, Zhang Liao suddenly opened his eyes, a cold glint flashing in them, and slashed at Xun Shi with his long sword carrying immense force.
The blade's wind was fierce, stirring up dust and gravel on the ground, its momentum unstoppable.
Seeing this, Xun Shi gritted his teeth and, with his last bit of strength, forcefully raised the halberd above his head, attempting to block this fatal blow.
The deafening clang of metal on metal lasted only a moment.
The halberd in Xun Shi's hand was directly cleaved in two by Zhang Liao's longsword, and the broken halberd fell to the ground with a thud.
But Zhang Liao's offensive did not diminish in the slightest. His long sword moved with the force of a rainbow, accompanied by the sound of wind being cut, and slashed straight down.
Xun Shi froze, dying instantly, his eyes wide open, yet his face showed no sign of pain.
Zhang Liao sheathed his sword and stood there, his gaze fixed on Xun Shi's corpse. His throat tightened, and his heart was filled with mixed emotions.
There was respect, regret, and a touch of inexplicable melancholy.
He won the duel, but felt no joy whatsoever.
The Liao soldiers standing by the battle line witnessed Xun Shi's unyielding spirit, and their morale, which had been slightly dampened, rose again. A burning fighting spirit ignited in their hearts, and low shouts rose and fell.
Xu Kuan, standing not far away, looked at the scene before him with a complex and unreadable expression, unable to utter a word for a moment.
Zhang Liao dismounted, straightened his armor, and bowed deeply before Xun Shi's corpse:
"I hope that in the next life, we can share a drink and have a good time together."
After speaking, he mounted his horse, glanced at the soldiers in front of him, his expression regaining its usual determination, turned his horse around, and slowly headed towards Huyang City.
The city gates of Huyang City slowly closed, isolating the inside from the outside.
Xu Kuan slowly closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
He knew better than anyone that the closing of the city gates was not the end of the war, but the beginning of a fierce battle.
A moment later, Xu Kuan opened his eyes, his gaze unwavering, and shouted:
"Prepare the catapults!"
Military orders are absolute. The soldiers who were already waiting in the rear immediately took action and quickly loaded heavy boulders into the catapult.
The winches spun, the ropes tightened, and each catapult was ready to go.
"put!"
Xu Kuan gave the order without the slightest hesitation.
The catapults simultaneously engaged, their winches turning, and the boulders, carrying immense force, were hurled into the air, plummeting towards Huyang City.
Inside Huyang City, the Han army's catapults responded quickly, but were ultimately a moment too slow. By the time the boulders were launched into the air, the Liao army's boulders were already right in front of them.
The dense boulders collided in mid-air with a loud "boom," sending fragments flying and crashing onto the open ground in front of the two armies.
After several rounds of bombardment, most of the boulders thrown by both sides collided and fell in the air, without causing any substantial casualties to the other side.
Seeing this, Xu Kuan made a decisive move and raised his hand to signal a halt to the exchange of fire.
Continuing this will only waste stones and be of no benefit.
"Assault team, prepare!"
Xu Kuan once again gave the order in a loud voice.
The shield bearers, who were already fully prepared, immediately sprang into action, holding heavy shields and quickly forming a tight shield formation to protect the soldiers carrying the ladders in the middle.
The shields were connected, forming a tight, impenetrable barrier.
"rush!"
Xu Kuan shouted loudly.
Before the words were even finished, the siege team, having formed their battle formation, charged towards the walls of Huyang City.
On the city wall.
Xiao He, standing high above, saw everything clearly and immediately gave the order:
"Draw the bowstrings fully, cock the heavy crossbows, and prepare to fire!"
The Han soldiers dared not slacken their efforts in the slightest. They immediately drew their bows, nocked their heavy crossbows, and aimed their arrows at the charging Liao army. They were just waiting for Xiao He's order to unleash a volley of arrows.
When the Liao soldiers charged to within a hundred paces of the city wall, Xiao Hemeng raised his hand and shouted:
"Fire arrows!"
Before the words were even finished, the Han soldiers, who had been poised to attack, released their bowstrings.
A dense barrage of arrows rained down on the Liao army's shield formation.
Faced with this sudden barrage of arrows, the shield-bearers charging in the front line, though protected by their shields, were overwhelmed by the sheer density and force of the arrows. Many arrows pierced through the gaps in the shields and struck the shield-bearers' bodies.
The shield formation at the front collapsed instantly, and many soldiers died on the spot.
The soldiers who managed to dodge the arrows did not flinch in the slightest. Braving the rain of arrows, they charged to the foot of the city wall and quickly lowered the siege ladders.
Even with arrows raining down on him, he refused to stop for a moment.
Upon seeing this, the Han soldiers on the city wall immediately picked up the stones and logs around them and hurled them at the Liao soldiers on the ladders.
The sounds of rolling stones and the screams of soldiers were incessant.
The Liao soldiers on the ladder held shields, desperately protecting themselves, and slowly climbed upwards despite the heavy blows from above.
Occasionally, Liao soldiers would struggle to climb the city wall, but before they could even stand firmly, Han soldiers who were already waiting nearby would pierce their chests with spears and throw them off the wall, where they would be smashed to pieces.
Even so, the Liao soldiers continued to advance wave after wave, and not a single one retreated.
The morale of the Liao army today is far higher than it was yesterday.
After the incident with Xun Shi, every Liao soldier felt a sense of dread and was filled with only one thought:
They breached the city walls.
The Liao army was brave and fearless, but the Han army was equally undaunted. The Han soldiers on the city wall performed their duties diligently, fighting with all their might to repel the Liao army's attacks, repeatedly driving the Liao soldiers who had scaled the walls down.
The fierce battle in front of the city had not yet ended. Xu Kuan stood on a high slope behind the battle lines, looking down at the fighting below, his brows furrowed.
Liao soldiers charged forward wave after wave, but they could not break through the Han army's defenses. Every minute and every second, their own soldiers fell, and their strength was continuously depleted.
The Han army on the city wall, relying on the advantageous terrain, suffered very few casualties and almost no substantial losses.
Xu Kuan knew that if this stalemate continued, the Liao soldiers would be gradually worn down without the Han army even needing to launch an attack. At that point, not only would they be unable to capture Huyang City, but their entire army would also be wiped out.
Xu Kuan gritted his teeth and stood there for a long time, his mind racing as he searched for a way to break the deadlock.
No matter how they calculate it, they are at a dead end. If they continue to stalemate, they will only face certain death.
After a moment's thought, Xu Kuan finally steeled his heart and made a difficult decision:
Withdraw troops.
Despite his immense reluctance and unwillingness to give up, as the commander-in-chief, he could not risk the lives of tens of thousands of soldiers under his command. He could only temporarily withdraw his troops and seek another opportunity.
As the order to retreat was given, the Liao soldiers in front of the lines were all stunned.
They were all highly motivated and prepared to die for their cause, but they never expected to suddenly receive orders to withdraw.
But military orders are absolute and allow no hesitation. After a moment of stunned silence, the Liao soldiers had no choice but to withdraw in an orderly manner.
Before long, the once formidable Liao army receded like the tide, disappearing from the sight of the Han soldiers, leaving only a scene of devastation in front of the battlefield.
When the Han soldiers on the city wall saw the Liao army retreating, they stopped their attack, put down their bows and arrows and heavy objects, and silently watched the Liao army go into the distance.
Xiao He stood atop the city tower, gazing in the direction the Liao army had gone, before slowly withdrawing his gaze.
Then he turned around, sighed softly, and left the city.
Ma Su and Wei Yan quickly arranged for the soldiers left on the city wall to guard the city, gave them instructions on defense matters, and after ensuring that the city wall was safe, they followed Xiao He down the city wall together.
Not long after.
Xiao He, Ma Su, Wei Yan, and others then gathered in the main tent.
The main tent was filled with the joy of victory. Everyone's face was beaming with smiles, and their conversation was full of excitement at defeating the Liao army.
Only Zhang Liao sat quietly to one side, his expression somber, his eyes lowered and silent, completely out of place with the joyful atmosphere inside the tent.
Everyone knew that successfully repelling the Liao army and resolving the crisis in Huyang City was something to celebrate.
Zhang Liao's dejection dampened the joy in the tent.
Seeing this, Xiao He turned to Zhang Liao and asked:
"Wen Yuan, our army has defeated the Liao army today and won a great victory. Why are you so disappointed?"
Zhang Liao slowly raised his head, his eyes filled with regret, and replied in a low voice:
"Reporting to the Grand Marshal, this humble general has been thinking about Xun Shi all along."
Xiao He looked into the look in his eyes and instantly understood.
The Xun Shi he mentioned was the Liao general who had fought him on the battlefield earlier.
"Are you talking about the Liao general who challenged you to a duel on the battlefield?"
"What's wrong with him that makes you so worried?"
Everyone inside the tent looked over, wondering why Zhang Liao was so depressed because of an enemy general.
Zhang Liao took a deep breath and slowly spoke:
“Xun Shi, despite his injuries, took the initiative to fight me. He knew in his heart that in his condition, he would surely die if he fought me.”
"But he still volunteered for the battle without the slightest fear, only wanting to fight and die with dignity."
At this point, Zhang Liao's tone was full of regret:
"Such a loyal and brave man, it's just a pity that we are enemies and have different positions, so I have no choice but to kill him with my own hands."
After saying these words, Zhang Liao's bitterness and melancholy were finally relieved, as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders.
Everyone inside the tent was shocked, and the smiles on their faces vanished instantly, replaced by admiration.
"I never expected that there would be such a loyal and fearless person in the Liao army. It is truly rare."
A hint of admiration appeared in Xiao He's eyes as he looked at Zhang Liao and said solemnly:
"Wen Yuan, you must immediately lead your men out of the city, find Xun Shi's body, and give him a proper burial. Do not neglect him; this will honor the dignity of this loyal and brave man."
"Thank you, Grand Marshal!"
A light instantly shone in Zhang Liao's eyes, and the gloom on his face dissipated somewhat.
He immediately stood up, bowed deeply to Xiao He, and then turned around impatiently, leading his men out of the city to search for Xun Shi's body.
After Zhang Liao led his men out of the city, following the traces left by the battle lines, they quickly found Xun Shi's body. They carefully prepared Xun Shi's body, found a sunny spot, and personally buried him.
They even specially carved a tombstone for him, with the simple inscription "Tomb of Xun Shi, a loyal and brave man" on it.
After the burial was completed, Zhang Liao placed Xun Shi's broken halberd in front of the tombstone, then straightened his armor and bowed deeply three times to the tombstone.
"Xun Shi, in the next life, I hope that we will be equal, and that we can drink together and discuss martial arts."
...
Master account.
The crowd did not disperse; they remained seated together, discussing tomorrow's battle.
Xiao He sat upright in the main seat, speaking with a firm tone:
"As expected, the Liao army will definitely launch another offensive tomorrow. Their withdrawal today is just a delaying tactic."
"And tomorrow will be our last battle against the Liao army. In this battle, we must completely crush the Liao army and eliminate any future troubles!"
After saying that, a chilling killing intent flashed in Xiao He's eyes.
"Here!"
The people inside the tent responded in unison, already prepared for the final battle.
Xiao He's gaze swept over everyone in the tent, and he began to plan the battle for tomorrow:
"Tomorrow, Hansheng and Wenyuan will join me in guarding the city wall and personally directing the defense. We must hold the city wall and not give the Liao army any opportunity to take advantage of the situation."
"Guan Xing, Deng Ai, and Gan Ning, you three will lead your soldiers and wait inside the city gate, ready for battle."
After a pause, he continued:
"If the Liao army manages to break through the city gates, the three of you should immediately lead your troops out to entangle them and prevent them from penetrating further into the city."
"If the Liao army fails to breach the city gates, await my command. At that time, open the city gates, launch a full-scale attack, and utterly crush the Liao army, giving them no chance to regroup."
"Your subordinate obeys!"
The three immediately stood up, bowed to Xiao He, and solemnly accepted the order.
After arranging the frontline deployment, Xiao He turned his attention to Ma Su and Fei Yi:
"Ma Su and Fei Yi, you two are in charge of all matters within the city. You must appease the people, allocate provisions, ensure stability in the rear, and prevent any oversights, so as to relieve the soldiers at the front from any worries about the rear."
"Furthermore, I will personally oversee the defense of the city walls tomorrow. You will all perform your duties, remain at your posts, and not slack off in the slightest."
Xiao He's gaze swept over everyone.
"Here!"
Ma Su and Fei Yi immediately stood up to accept the order.
"Go and prepare, make sure you have a foolproof plan."
Xiao He waved his hand, his tone firm, his eyes filled with even more killing intent:
"In tomorrow's battle, we must ensure that the Liao army never returns and completely defend Huyang City!"
Everyone responded in unison, then stood up and bowed with their hands clasped in greeting.
Then, the generals turned and left the main tent to make arrangements for tomorrow's battle. (End of Chapter)