stonecrandall Chapter 889 Now that you know everything, just use it!
Chapter 889 Now that you know everything, just use it!
The sky gradually brightened, a pale dawn turning pale in the east. Just as the first rays of sunlight shone across the fortress walls, a cloud of dust suddenly rose from the distant horizon. The sentries on the fortress tower immediately sounded the alarm, the drums of war beat loudly, and the defenders instantly went into battle readiness.
Gao Yao narrowed his eyes, his hand on the hilt of his sword, and stared intently. A black flag gradually emerged from the smoke and dust, and the word "Qin" embroidered on it finally relaxed his tense expression.
"It's our reinforcements!" Cheers broke out on the wall, and the defending soldiers who had been fighting hard for days all showed joy on their faces.
A cavalry unit came galloping like an arrow from a bow. Leading the charge was a black horse, clad in black armor, and holding a long halberd. It was none other than Ying Bu, commander of the Third Legion. The 5,000 cavalrymen he led were a mighty force, the sound of their hooves shaking the earth like thunder, and the clouds of dust they raised covered the sky.
"Open the city gate!" Gao Yao ordered, with a rare hint of excitement in his voice.
The heavy city gate slowly opened, and Ying Bu led the way inside. He dismounted, quickly ascended the gate tower, and knelt on one knee before Gao Yao. "General Ying Bu, I pay my respects to the king! Five thousand cavalry will arrive first, and the following thirty thousand infantry will arrive by this evening at the latest."
Gao Yao hurried forward and held Ying Bu's arm: "Ying Bu, you have worked hard on this journey." He looked carefully at this loyal general. Ying Bu's armor was covered with dust and his eyes were bloodshot. It was obvious that he had also traveled day and night to get here.
Ying Bu stood up and immediately challenged the enemy: "Your Majesty, what is the current situation of the Chu army? I am willing to lead my troops to attack immediately and catch them off guard!"
Gao Yao shook his head. "Order all troops to rest first. The Chu army is mainly conducting a feint attack right now. They have less than 5,000 men, and their main force has already left the area around Yangping Pass. They can't pose a threat for the time being."
Seeing Ying Bu's puzzled expression, Gao Yao explained, "The soldiers must be exhausted after continuous fighting and rapid marches. They should conserve their energy and wait for another day to fight."
"Yes!" Ying Bu accepted the order, a sigh of emotion filling his heart. He recalled the hardships of the past year's continuous campaigns: from the feint to attack Hanzhong while actually moving towards Nanjun, to the surprise attack and subsequent attack after Wang Ben's capture, to finally taking Hanzhong and resting for less than a month before Wang Li led his army to attack again. After defeating Wang Li, he immediately returned to Xianyang, but before he could even catch his breath, he received orders to encircle and attack Nanjun from three sides, and now he was rushing to support Yangping Pass.
Ying Bu was indeed a skilled general, eager to prove himself through military exploits, but the constant battles had worn out his troops. Upon learning that the Chu army would not pose a threat for the time being, he immediately arranged for his troops to rest and recuperate, giving them a break.
At the same time, the city of Xianyang, hundreds of miles away, was in the midst of a bitter battle.
Xiang Yu personally led the main force of the Chu army in a fierce attack on Xianyang. The drums of war shook the heavens and the cries of battle shook the earth. The Chu army rushed towards the city walls like a tide, using ladders, battering rams, catapults and other siege equipment.
Li Zhao stood on the city wall and commanded with composure. This veteran who had experienced many battles appeared calm and composed in the face of the fierce attack of the Chu army. He noticed that the Chu army's initial attack was not fierce and understood that it was just a test of the defenders' deployment.
"Send a message to each gate: the defenders should take turns to rest and conserve their strength." Li Zhao ordered, "The Chu army is testing our strength."
Sure enough, two hours later, the Chu army's tentative attack stopped. Both sides suffered losses, but the Chu army attacking the city suffered significantly greater casualties. Li Zhao did not feel relieved because he knew that this was just the beginning.
In the afternoon, the Chu army changed its tactics and concentrated its main forces to attack the east gate of Xianyang. Only a small number of troops were deployed outside the other three gates, but a large number of military flags were raised to create the illusion of a large army approaching.
"General, the main force of the Chu army is gathering at the east gate. There are only flags but no soldiers or horses at the other three gates. I'm afraid there is a trap." The deputy general reminded.
Li Zhao pondered for a moment. "Xiang Yu wants us to divide our forces to defend each gate. Send out orders to reinforce the east gate by 2,000, leave 500 guards at each of the other three gates, and keep the rest as reserves on standby."
As Li Zhao had predicted, the Chu army launched a fierce attack on the east gate. Xiang Yu personally supervised the battle, and the Chu army's morale was greatly boosted, and the offensive was unstoppable. Although the defenders fought desperately, they gradually felt the pressure.
At the most critical moment, Li Zhao made a decision that was completely different from Gao Yao's. He ordered the use of the remaining black gunpowder in the army.
"General, there is very little black gunpowder left. Should we save it for more critical moments?" The commander of the gunpowder battalion asked hesitantly.
Li Zhao's eyes were determined. "Since the Chu army knows I have this weapon, they must be on guard. It would be better to take advantage of their unpreparedness and strike first. This would not only cause casualties but also deter the enemy."
After the order was issued, the defenders quickly prepared. When the Chu army launched another fierce attack and a large number of soldiers crowded under the city wall, Li Zhao decisively ordered: "Fire!"
Instantly, deafening explosions echoed, black smoke billowed, and flames shot skyward. The Chu army was caught off guard by the sudden detonation and immediately fell into chaos. Severed limbs flew everywhere, and screams rang out one after another.
In just one explosion, the Chu army lost more than 500 people and had to temporarily retreat and reorganize its formation.
On the walls of Xianyang, the defenders cheered and their morale was boosted. However, Li Zhao had a serious expression on his face. He knew that this was only a temporary victory and Xiang Yu would never give up the siege.
"Clean up the battlefield, replenish arrows and logs, and prepare for a more fierce attack." Li Zhao gave the order, his eyes once again turning to the Chu army camp in the distance.
As he expected, Xiang Yu was furious after learning of the setback on the front line and personally came to the front to supervise the battle. The Chu army reorganized its offensive and rushed towards the city wall more frantically.
As the sun set, the battle for Xianyang entered a more brutal phase. Meanwhile, Yangping Pass had finally stabilized after receiving reinforcements. Gao Yao stood atop the pass tower, gazing toward Xianyang, his heart etched in his mind as he watched the fighting unfold there.
"Your Majesty, the main force of the infantry has arrived." Ying Bu came to report that 30,000 infantrymen finally arrived at Yangping Pass before dark.
Gao Yao nodded and said, "Let the soldiers have a good rest. We will discuss the march tomorrow."
As night fell, peace returned to Yangping Pass. But everyone knew it was only the quiet before the storm. Tomorrow would be another day of bloody battles.
Outside Xianyang, countless bonfires lit up the Chu army camp, like stars falling on the earth. Xiang Yu stood high in the camp, gazing at the Xianyang city walls, his eyes gleaming with determination.
"We must capture Xianyang tomorrow!" he said in a deep voice, his voice full of unquestionable determination.
Meanwhile, Li Zhao, inside Xianyang, was inspecting various sections of the city wall, encouraging the defenders and checking the fortifications. He knew that a tougher battle lay ahead.
The wars in both regions had entered a critical moment, with the fate of the entire Guanzhong region hanging by a thread. During this long night, countless people lay awake, waiting for the arrival of dawn and the start of a new round of fighting.