Chapter 757
The Wanliao Army besieges Fangcheng, a battle for life and death!
After the order was given, the Liao soldiers immediately sprang into action, with clear division of labor and orderly commencement of the breakup operation.
Dismantling tents, packing provisions, organizing weapons, and leading out warhorses—the entire military camp was a scene of bustling activity, yet orderly and without the slightest chaos.
Before long, the dismantling of the camp was completed, and all the tents and supplies in the military camp were packed up.
Meanwhile, the kitchen had prepared lunch. Simple dishes of wine, meat, rice, and vegetables were served one by one, and the soldiers ate quickly to replenish their strength and prepare for the march and battle to come.
After lunch, all the Liao soldiers regrouped.
Chen Xun mounted his horse, looked down at the soldiers before him, and shouted:
"Brothers, we've rested enough, let's set off immediately for Fangcheng!"
"In today's battle, we must break through Fangcheng and achieve great things!"
"A triumphant return! A glorious homecoming!"
The crowd shouted in unison, their voices loud and clear, echoing through the sky.
"set off!"
With a command from Chen Xun, he took the lead and rode forward, followed closely by 100,000 Liao soldiers, marching in a mighty procession towards Fangcheng.
As soon as the Liao soldiers disappeared from the official road outside the city, the people within the five cities cautiously left their homes and went to the Liao army camp to check on the situation.
When they arrived at the camp gate and saw that the camp was deserted and only a mess remained, with no trace of the Liao army, their faces were full of doubt and unease.
The people were in an uproar, with most guessing that the Liao army's hasty departure meant they were abandoning the place. However, they did not know the Liao army's true intentions and were filled with panic, fearing that the Liao army would carry out a massacre before leaving, and even more fearing that war would break out.
In an instant, the people were thrown into chaos, turning around and heading home to hastily pack their valuables and provisions, preparing to flee this place of trouble.
In an instant, the streets of the five cities were crowded with fleeing people, all looking panicked. Most of them were running in the opposite direction from the city and away from the Liao army's march.
In just one hour, most of the city's residents had fled, and the once bustling city became desolate, with less than half of the population remaining in the city, filled with fear and anxiety.
Unlike the panicked flight of the common people, very few of the wealthy merchants in the city chose to flee.
In their view, the departure of the Liao army was not a disaster, but a golden opportunity for them to turn the tide.
The Liao army's long-term blockade and oppression caused the wealthy merchants heavy losses. Now that the Liao army has withdrawn, they finally have a chance to catch their breath and the confidence to resist the Liao Kingdom.
These wealthy businessmen had already made their plans in mind:
As long as they can gather all the wealthy merchants in the city, pool their resources and connections, and emulate the way the people of Fangcheng joined forces with the Han army to resist the Liao, they too can contend with the Liao Kingdom and protect their homes and property.
Following Fangcheng's example, breaking free from Liao's control and living a peaceful life has always been the wish of these wealthy merchants, and now, that opportunity has finally arrived.
More importantly, these wealthy businessmen have long-standing business dealings with the wealthy businessmen in Fangcheng, and they exchange information regularly, so they know more inside information than ordinary people.
They knew perfectly well that the Han army was known for its benevolence. As long as they did not actively resist the Han army or become its enemies, the Han army would not indiscriminately kill innocent people and would protect the property of the common people and wealthy merchants.
Once the Liao army had completely disappeared into the distance and it was confirmed that they would not turn back, the wealthy merchants of the five cities immediately sprang into action.
They summoned other wealthy merchants in the city, gathered together to discuss countermeasures, and finally decided on the following:
First, maintain stability within the city, appease the remaining residents, make all necessary preparations, and quietly await the arrival of the Han army. Then, join the Han army to fight against the Liao Kingdom together.
As a result, wealthy merchants from the five cities surrounding Fangcheng gathered and sent people to visit the streets and alleys of the city, mobilizing the people who had not fled, explaining the situation to them, informing them of the benevolence of the Han army, and persuading them to stay and prepare for the arrival of the Han army together.
Many people were unwilling to flee, but were blinded by panic. Now, after hearing the advice of the wealthy merchants and recalling the long-term oppression of the Liao Kingdom, the rebellious spirit that had been accumulating in their hearts was completely ignited.
They chose to stay and cooperate with the wealthy merchants' arrangements to reinforce the city gates and prepare for the arrival of the Han army.
The five cities, which were once filled with discontent and resentment, are now gradually becoming more orderly. The remaining civilians and wealthy merchants are no longer fearful or suspicious; everyone is filled with anticipation for the arrival of the Han army and for escaping the oppression of the Liao Kingdom.
The Liao soldiers who left the city were all clad in armor and armed with weapons, their horses' hooves kicking up dust and their banners fluttering as they galloped toward Fangcheng.
The procession stretched for miles, and the dust it kicked up obscured half the sky.
On the march, many generals frowned, their expressions filled with melancholy, and some couldn't help but mutter to themselves:
"I don't know what Your Majesty is thinking, insisting on attacking Fangcheng."
No sooner had the words been spoken than a general chimed in:
"are you crazy?"
"Exactly, that's Fangcheng!"
The other person sighed heavily:
"That city is high and deeply fortified, easy to defend and difficult to attack. It has always been a strategic location fought over by military strategists. A rash attack would only increase casualties."
"Even if Fangcheng really rebels, in my opinion, after the city is breached, the ringleaders should be executed and displayed to deter the remaining rebels."
Some generals pondered and said.
"Yes, why must we completely destroy the entire city?"
"As long as the city exists, people will live; if the city is destroyed, countless people will be displaced, which will be of no benefit to our Great Liao."
Upon hearing this, many generals fell into deep thought, their brows furrowing even more, and no one spoke again.
Just then, someone in the crowd spoke in a low voice:
"I suppose the king thinks that the city is now full of parasites, the people are disunited, and the foundation is broken."
"Instead of wasting energy on reforming the bureaucracy and appeasing the people, it would be better to simply demolish and rebuild, thus eliminating all future troubles."
Upon hearing this, many generals gasped in shock, their faces showing astonishment.
"That's too ruthless. This approach is far too decisive."
"Yes, that's too ruthless. After all, there are still countless innocent people in the city."
After a brief discussion, someone spoke in a deep voice:
"Enough. The king has his own reasons. As generals, we only need to obey orders and carry out military commands. There is no need for us to speculate too much."
These words awakened everyone, and the generals quickly composed themselves, suppressing their doubts and focusing on urging their soldiers to hurry on their way. The marching speed of the troops increased once again.
They rushed along without daring to delay for a moment, and finally, at dusk, all the Liao soldiers arrived safely outside Fangcheng.
From afar, the city walls of Fangcheng rise high into the clouds, and the city gates are tightly closed, exuding an aura of impregnability.
Since the Liao army had no intention of giving Fangcheng any way out and was determined to destroy it completely, they did not rush to attack the city after arriving outside the city, but instead set up camp on the spot around Fangcheng.
The thousands of fires that lit up the Liao army camp, like countless sparks, were particularly conspicuous in the night and were quickly spotted by the guards on the city wall.
Upon seeing this, the garrison immediately became alert and reported to the city's commander.
On the city wall, the defending soldiers quickly took their positions, nocked their bows and drew their swords, ready for battle, their eyes fixed on the Liao army camp outside the city.
However, the Liao soldiers, who had been traveling all day, were exhausted and had no energy to launch an immediate attack on the city.
The Liao army immediately ordered the entire army to rest and recuperate, and to launch a full-scale attack on the city the next day.
When the news reached Fangcheng, Xiao He calmly said:
"Let the soldiers get a good rest tonight and relax. The Liao soldiers have been traveling all day and are exhausted. They will certainly not launch a surprise attack tonight."
Hearing Xiao He's words, Ma Su felt somewhat relieved and immediately ordered the soldiers guarding the city to relax their vigilance appropriately, take turns resting, and conserve their energy for the next day's battle.
Although the people inside the house appeared to have relaxed and were no longer as tense as before.
After all, hundreds of thousands of Liao troops were outside the city, watching with predatory eyes. No one could guarantee that the Liao army wouldn't suddenly change their minds and launch a surprise attack overnight.
Therefore, most of the garrison soldiers in Fangcheng did not get a good night's sleep that night. They either tossed and turned or remained on guard, constantly watching the movements outside the city.
As dawn broke and the east began to lighten, the Han soldiers in the city rose and went to the drill ground to conduct basic exercises.
...
Outside the city, in the Liao army camp, the Liao soldiers also gathered and began their final pre-battle drills.
After the drills, the Liao soldiers were all in high spirits and their morale was high. In the four camps, the four commanders summoned their soldiers to give pre-battle mobilization speeches. Their loud voices echoed throughout the entire camp.
"Fellow soldiers!"
"Today, we will raze Fangcheng to the ground, wipe out the rebels within, and bring glory to our Great Liao!"
Upon hearing this, the Liao soldiers below erupted in commotion.
"Quiet!"
Chen Xun frowned and shouted.
The camp fell silent instantly, and all the soldiers' eyes were fixed on him.
Chen Xun's gaze was sharp as a knife as he said in a stern voice:
"The Han army bandits are running rampant in our Liao territory, burning, killing, looting, and harming our Liao people. How can we tolerate their arrogance?"
"cannot!"
The Liao soldiers below were instantly ignited with fighting spirit.
"No! No! No!"
Amidst the shouts, the Liao army's morale instantly soared, and their expressions became impassioned.
Seeing this, Chen Xun continued to shout loudly:
"We've won today's battle! When we get back, we'll have plenty of good wine and meat, and we'll reward those who have contributed. We'll return home in glory!"
"If you lose, you will be buried in a foreign land, never to return!"
Do you want to be buried in a foreign land?
"In no mood!"
The Liao soldiers shouted in unison once again.
"No! No! No!"
At this moment, the morale of the Liao army had reached its peak. Everyone was eager to fight and wanted to rush up the city wall and flatten the city.
Seeing this, Chen Xun raised his long sword high and shouted sharply:
"set off!"
Before he finished speaking, Chen Xun swiftly mounted his horse, his long sword pointing directly at Fangcheng.
Seeing the Liao army approaching from outside the city, the Han soldiers on the city wall immediately rang the alarm bell.
Before the bell had even finished ringing, the Han soldiers, who had been waiting in full battle array, quickly rushed to their respective posts.
The private armies raised by wealthy merchants also sprang into action upon hearing the news, seizing key positions on the city wall and standing shoulder to shoulder with the Han soldiers, all with solemn expressions, ready for battle.
The Liao army outside the city had quickly formed ranks outside the capital city of Fangcheng. The soldiers were neatly arranged, the flags fluttered in the wind, and their momentum was overwhelming.
The troops from the four camps supported each other, forming an encirclement and locking down Fangcheng.
Both sides' soldiers took their positions.
In a short time, all heavy siege weapons, such as catapults and giant crossbows, were ready.
The Liao army's catapults were tall and heavy, set up in front of the battle lines, and already loaded with boulders.
The Han army's giant crossbows were mounted on the crenellations of the city wall, their arrowheads gleaming coldly, pointing directly at the Liao army outside the city.
The two sides were on the verge of conflict, locked in a standoff.
Xiao He stood atop the fourth-floor pavilion of the Da Liao Ward, gazing calmly at the Liao army formation outside the city, showing no sign of panic.
Ma Su and Fei Yi stood beside him, their brows slightly furrowed, their eyes fixed on the battlefield situation.
At the same time, Chen Li and his two companions were ready to stand by and await orders at any time.
The four city gates of Fangcheng were each guarded by a seasoned general.
They were standing on the city gate tower, scanning the Liao army outside the city.
Just as the two armies were locked in a standoff, and the atmosphere reached its most tense point.
The Liao army's heavy cavalry had quietly assembled below the city walls.
The warhorses were clad in heavy armor, and the soldiers were fully armed, wielding long swords. They were just waiting for their commander's order to charge forward at full speed, heading straight for the city walls.
Time passed by second by second, and before we knew it, it was already the hour of Si (9-11 AM).
As the sunlight grew stronger, it shone on the battlefield, illuminating the weapons in the hands of the soldiers on both sides.
At the stroke of midnight, Liao army commander Chen Xun immediately ordered the first offensive.
"Prepare the catapults!"
Chen Xun's voice pierced through the formation and clearly reached the ears of every Liao soldier.
Upon hearing the call, the soldiers in charge of operating the catapults moved swiftly and skillfully, quickly loading and adjusting the boulders. All the catapults were then aimed at the city, ready to fire.
"put!"
At a command.
In an instant, all the catapults exerted their power simultaneously, and huge stones were hurled into the air, rushing toward the city wall with a whistling sound.
The densely packed boulders drew heavy arcs in the air, creating a terrifying sight.
Seeing that the Liao army had launched the first attack, the Han soldiers on the city wall were already prepared to counterattack.
The Han army's catapults were immediately deployed into the battle, with boulders hurtling out and retaliating against the Liao army's catapult positions. The two sides' boulders crossed each other in mid-air.
In the sky, countless boulders traced jagged arcs as they crashed down.
Several houses near the city wall were unfortunately hit by the boulder, and the houses collapsed instantly, with rubble flying everywhere.
Fortunately, the Han army had evacuated the people near the city wall in advance, so there were no casualties.
More boulders crashed heavily against the city walls, creating a deafening roar that shook the walls slightly, and soon pits of varying depths appeared on the surface of the walls.
"Stop throwing."
Seeing that the first round of slinging had achieved the desired effect, Chen Xun immediately ordered a halt to the attack.
The Liao soldiers operating the catapult quickly stopped, and the catapult fell silent instantly.
On the battlefield, only the echoes of falling boulders and the heavy breathing of soldiers on both sides remained.
"Assault troops, prepare!"
Chen Xun's voice rang out again. (End of Chapter)