Chapter 758
The city gates have fallen, Fangcheng is in danger, and the Han army is in danger!
The Liao army's attacking forces reacted swiftly upon hearing the commotion.
The shield-bearing soldiers immediately stepped forward and tightly surrounded the soldiers carrying the siege ladders, raising their shields high to form a shield wall to defend against the Han army's arrow attacks.
Several heavy siege engines slowly advanced, their wheels grinding the ground, poised to strike the city gate at any moment.
"Begin the siege!"
With Chen Xun's order, the command to attack the city was officially issued. The Liao soldiers in the front row shouted in unison, mustered their strength, and charged towards the city wall of Fangcheng with all their might.
After more than ten rounds of slinging attacks, the Liao army's first charge officially began.
Upon seeing this, the Han soldiers on the city wall immediately stopped their slinging and counterattack. At the commander's order, the archers quickly took their positions, drew their bows, and aimed their arrows directly at the charging Liao army. They were ready to launch an attack as soon as the Liao vanguard crossed the pre-laid traps.
The Liao soldiers charged forward bravely, disregarding their own lives, rushing toward the city wall of Fangcheng.
In the blink of an eye, the Liao army's vanguard rushed into the trap area.
The unsuspecting charging soldiers lost their footing and instantly fell into the spiked trap that had been dug in advance.
Spikes pierced through armor and into bodies, screams rose and fell, and soldiers died on the spot. The trap was soon filled with corpses.
Many Liao soldiers in front were startled upon seeing this and immediately stopped to avoid the trap. However, the soldiers behind them were unaware and continued to charge forward, pushing the soldiers who had stopped in front into the trap pit.
By the time the Liao soldiers realized there was a trap ahead, many had already fallen in, resulting in heavy casualties.
Upon witnessing such a horrific scene, the charging Liao soldiers all halted, no longer daring to advance rashly. Their faces were filled with fear, and their eyes turned toward their commander, Chen Xun, awaiting his new instructions.
Seeing this scene, Chen Xun, who was at the front of the battle, frowned deeply.
He never expected that the Han army had laid traps outside the city, and on a considerable scale. The Liao army had no idea how many such traps the Han army had dug, nor how large the area of the traps was.
For a moment, Chen Xun was also caught in a dilemma.
But then he thought again that Gongsun Kang's order was to raze Fangcheng to the ground. No matter the cost, he had to complete the military order and there was no room for retreat.
After a moment's hesitation, Chen Xun sighed heavily, suppressing his doubts, and gave the order in a stern voice:
"Everyone, keep charging! Break through the traps at all costs and take Fangcheng!"
Upon hearing the order, the Liao soldiers at the front were afraid, but military orders were absolute and they dared not disobey. They could only grit their teeth and launch another charge.
They cautiously advanced, stepping over the corpses of their comrades, but soldiers kept falling into the traps, and casualties continued to rise.
In the end, the Liao army paid a heavy price, sacrificing a large number of soldiers, and finally carved out a bloody path through the dense network of traps.
Then, a resolute glint flashed in the eyes of the surviving Liao soldiers. Leaving the corpses of those in front of them, they roared and charged towards the city gate of Fangcheng.
On the city wall, Deng Ai saw that the main force of the Liao army had crossed the traps laid outside the city and had nowhere to retreat. He suddenly raised his hand and said in a deep voice:
"Archers, crossbowmen, prepare to fire!"
Military orders are absolute, and the soldiers who were already on high alert on the city wall immediately drew their bows, nocked arrows, and set up their giant crossbows.
"put!"
At Deng Ai's command, a dense rain of arrows poured down from the city wall, crashing into the Liao army's ranks like a storm.
Screams rose and fell as many Liao soldiers were struck by arrows before they could react, causing a brief moment of chaos in their formation.
However, the Liao army's offensive did not diminish. Soldiers holding strong shields stood firmly in front of the siege ladders and siege engines, bravely advancing step by step despite the rain of arrows.
These shield-bearing soldiers were taut, holding their shields firmly. Even when stray arrows struck the edges of their shields, they did not flinch, using their bodies to form a mobile barrier for the attacking troops behind them.
The Liao soldiers with shields always charged at the forefront, followed closely by the infantry, who struggled forward over the corpses of their comrades.
After a fierce half-hour advance, and at the cost of heavy casualties, the main force of the Liao army finally closed to within fifty paces of the city wall, where the rain of arrows could no longer pose a fatal threat.
Upon seeing this, Deng Ai immediately gave the following order:
"Cease fire!"
The rain of arrows from the city wall ceased instantly. He then turned towards the city gate and loudly gave the order:
"Heavy cavalry, charge immediately!"
The heavily armored cavalry, already fully prepared and ready to go, clad in thick armor and wielding sharp sabers, had been poised at the city gate for some time.
Upon hearing the command, they roared in unison, their voices shaking the heavens, and their long-suppressed fighting spirit erupted instantly.
The city gates slowly opened, and heavily armored cavalrymen galloped forward like an unstoppable torrent of steel, charging fiercely towards the Liao army ahead.
At this moment, the Liao army had just broken through the rain of arrows and their formation was not yet fully organized. Faced with the sudden charge of heavily armored cavalry, they were powerless to resist.
In just one round of attack, those Liao soldiers who managed to break through the rain of arrows were all killed.
After completing the charge, the heavy cavalry did not linger in battle. Led by their leader, they quickly turned their horses around and retreated back to the gate of the city, standing ready to face the next attack from the Liao army.
On the city tower, Deng Ai's expression remained calm.
Below the city, Chen Xun witnessed the formidable fighting power of the heavily armored cavalry, his brows furrowed, and a chill ran through him.
He was acutely aware that today's siege was far more difficult than he had anticipated.
But by then the arrow had already been shot, and they were in a bind. The Liao army had come on a long march and there was no way they could turn back.
Fangcheng and the Liao army, one of them must be destroyed today; there is no third way.
Chen Xun took a deep breath, suppressing his apprehension, and loudly gave the order:
"Cavalry, prepare!"
The Liao light cavalry under his command immediately mounted their horses, gripped their muskets, and prepared to charge.
"Cavalry, listen to my command! Provide full cover for the infantry's assault on the city! Charge!"
Chen Xun's command rang out again, and the Liao light cavalry responded immediately, spurring their horses and charging fiercely towards the Han heavy cavalry at the gate of Fangcheng.
Behind the light cavalry, a large number of Liao infantry followed closely, using the cover of the light cavalry to continue advancing towards the city wall.
The Han heavy cavalry at the city gate were not afraid when they saw the Liao light cavalry charging towards them. They gripped their sabers, spurred their horses, and prepared to charge again.
The Liao light cavalry charged swiftly, easily breaking through the traps outside the city, and in an instant clashed with the Han heavy cavalry. The sound of metal clashing echoed throughout the heavens and earth.
The Han army's heavy cavalry, clad in thick armor, were impervious to swords and spears and remained unscathed in the engagement. In contrast, the Liao army's light cavalry, with their thin armor, suffered heavy casualties, and the Liao army's momentum was instantly halted.
Chen Xun stood at the rear of the formation, looking at the huge gap between the enemy and his own forces, feeling extremely anxious but helpless.
He knew that light cavalry alone could not possibly shake the Han army's heavy cavalry. Now, he could only rely on human wave tactics, exchanging casualties for the opportunity to attack the city.
As time passed, under the desperate cover of the Liao infantry, several breaching carts broke through the rain of arrows and got closer and closer to the city gate. The Han soldiers on the city wall looked solemn upon seeing this.
Deng Ai acted decisively and issued another order:
"Heavy cavalry, return to the city! Crossbowmen and archers, fire again!"
Upon receiving orders, the heavy cavalry quickly retreated into the city, and the city gates slowly closed, temporarily blocking the Liao army's offensive outside the city.
Without the threat of the heavy cavalry, Chen Xun immediately seized the opportunity and ordered the entire army to launch a fierce charge. Large numbers of Liao soldiers surged toward the city walls of Fangcheng like a tide.
Despite the relentless barrage of crossbow bolts and arrows from the city walls, the Liao soldiers pressed forward relentlessly, and eventually a portion of them broke through the arrow storm and reached the foot of the city walls.
They quickly erected ladders on the city wall and climbed upwards using both hands and feet.
After a long siege, the Liao soldiers were all eager to fight, and now that they finally had the chance to engage the Han army in a direct confrontation, they all fought bravely.
However, the Han soldiers were already prepared. The first few Liao soldiers who charged ahead had just climbed to the middle of the ladder when they were knocked down by the Han soldiers on the city wall with long spears and smashed to pieces.
The Han soldiers on the city wall fired arrows wildly at the Liao soldiers on the ladders, while also picking up logs and stones and hurling them down the ladders.
Even so, despite the Liao army's relentless attacks, many Liao soldiers managed to break through the barriers and successfully scale the city walls.
In an instant, swords flashed and blood flew across the city walls as soldiers from both sides grappled together, creating an extremely chaotic scene.
Liao soldiers climbed the ladders in an endless stream, while Han soldiers fought with all their might, showing no sign of retreat.
As the battle continued, the Han soldiers on the city wall gradually became exhausted.
More importantly, the space on the city wall was limited, and the number of Han soldiers was already small, so it seemed that they could not continue.
Standing atop the city wall, Deng Ai's gaze swept over the Han soldiers on the ramparts. Seeing their weary faces and exhaustion, he decisively gave the order:
"Soldiers rotate and take turns resting!"
The military order was quickly relayed to all parts of the city wall. The reserve soldiers, who had been waiting behind the city wall and were full of energy, immediately formed neat ranks and advanced towards the front line of the city wall.
Upon seeing this, the exhausted soldiers on the city wall retreated in an orderly manner, taking over from the reserve soldiers. The entire change of guard was carried out smoothly and without any panic.
After the rotation of troops, the energetic Han soldiers immediately took over the defense line and continued to fight against the Liao army's siege, not daring to relax in the slightest.
Even with quick defensive transitions, brief gaps are inevitable.
In that instant, the Liao soldiers, who had been waiting in ambush, seized the opportunity and, taking advantage of the Han army's shift change, rushed up the city wall in large numbers using ladders.
Several Liao soldiers risked their lives to protect the siege ladders beside them, blocking the Han army's attempts to destroy them, allowing subsequent Liao soldiers to climb the city walls in an endless stream, making their offensive even more intense.
Upon seeing this, Deng Ai's expression darkened. He immediately dispatched elite troops to concentrate their firepower on clearing out the ladders protected by the Liao army, attempting to cut off the Liao army's access to the city.
However, the Liao soldiers fought bravely and resisted the Han army's suppression with all their might. The two sides engaged in a fierce battle near the siege ladder. More and more Liao soldiers broke through the barriers and successfully climbed the city wall, where they engaged in a melee with the Han army.
Thus, the soldiers of both armies fought back and forth on the narrow city wall, battling fiercely to the death.
The Han army's attention was completely occupied by the melee on the city wall. Everyone was fighting hard to resist the Liao army climbing the city wall and had no time to pay attention to the movements below the city wall.
The siege engines that were originally blocked by the rain of arrows are now unimpeded and are taking advantage of the lull in the fighting on the city walls to approach the city gate.
In a short while, several siege engines arrived at the city gate. The huge battering rams were raised high and then brought down hard, launching a fierce attack on the city gate.
Behind the city gate, a large number of Han soldiers held tightly to the gate panels, their shoulders braced against the gate, doing their utmost to block the impact of the breaching rams and prevent the city gate from being easily breached.
The fighting on the city walls remained fierce. More and more Liao soldiers climbed the walls, launching wave after wave of attacks. However, the Han soldiers, with their indomitable will, remained steadfast in their defense, refusing to yield an inch and holding onto every inch of the city wall.
Beneath the city walls, the battering rams never ceased their assault, striking the weak points of the city gate again and again.
Faced with the continuous impact of the breaching ram, the huge wooden bolts on the inside of the city gate gradually developed fine cracks. As the number of impacts increased, the cracks continued to widen, and there was a possibility of them breaking at any time.
The Han soldiers at the forefront endured the immense impact from the city gate. Their chests felt tight from the shock, and blood trickled from the corners of their mouths. Each impact made them sway, but not one of them retreated. They continued to hold the city gate with all their might.
The fighting on the city walls and the clashes below continued to intertwine, and the situation at the four city gates became increasingly critical, with bad news constantly coming in, and no one was able to stabilize the situation.
Unable to breach the city gates after a prolonged siege, the Liao army gradually changed its strategy, intending to have the soldiers on the city walls fight desperately to break through the Han army's defenses and storm into the city, then open the city gates from the inside to allow the main force outside to pour in smoothly.
With the plan finalized, the Liao army's offensive intensified. Soon, more and more Liao soldiers crowded onto the city wall, making the narrow city wall completely impassable.
At the same time, a large number of shield-wielding soldiers also climbed the city wall one after another, quickly formed ranks, and used their strong shields to form a solid shield wall, effectively blocking the Han soldiers' attacks and buying space for the subsequent troops to advance.
When the Han soldiers saw the Liao army set up a shield wall, they immediately adjusted their tactics and quickly formed their own shield wall to confront the Liao army's shield wall. Under the cover of the shield wall, the two sides pushed and shoved each other, trying to force the other off the city wall.
By this time, the city wall was already overcrowded with soldiers, shoulder to shoulder, leaving no extra space for fighting. The soldiers of both armies simply abandoned their weapons and began to squeeze together, relying on brute force to fight for control of the city wall.
The Liao army's shield wall continued to expand, gradually occupying more space on the city wall. The Han army, however, was not to be outdone, and held its ground tenaciously, constantly expanding the scope of its shield wall, fighting for every inch of land.
The two sides were locked in a stalemate on the city wall, neither willing to give way, and neither could easily break through the other's defenses. The situation on the city wall was difficult to reverse for the time being.
This standoff lasted for half an hour, with the siege engines below the city still relentlessly ramming into it.
Finally, with a loud crash, the wooden bolt of one of the city gates broke completely, and the gate was smashed open by the breaching ram.
The western city gate was breached first, and once the breach was opened, the Liao soldiers who had been waiting outside the city surged into the city like a tide, unstoppable.
Seeing that the city gate had been successfully breached, Chen Xun's eyes flashed with wild joy, and he immediately shouted the order:
"All troops, listen to my command!"
"Charge! Take Fangcheng in one fell swoop!" (End of Chapter)