Chapter 10: The Battle Beyond the Great Wall (Part Three)

Now, under Xu Rong's leadership, they began to retaliate by throwing clods of earth, while the three thousand soldiers were responsible for shooting arrows in response. Most of the arrows shot by the Xianbei cavalry fell onto the city walls; there was no way around it, as the arrows lacked power and the walls were too high. Even though a few skilled archers could injure those on the city wall, their arrows had already lost their force and could not inflict significant damage on the enemy

In contrast, the opposing archers held a significant advantage. Within less than an hour of combat, the Xianbei cavalry found themselves in dire straits. Being too close to the city wall risked being crushed by falling clods of earth, which were not merely dirt but rather hardened mixtures of soil and water. A direct hit would not only be fatal but could also result in severe injuries. Staying slightly farther away meant being covered by the archers on the city wall, but moving even further would render any offensive efforts meaningless.

Another month and a half has passed, and the one hundred thousand young men and over twenty thousand laborers under Gongsun Xu have fully adapted to the battlefield. Now, as long as they are provided with armor and weapons, they are qualified soldiers. As for the ten thousand men that Xu Rong has focused on training, they now possess the aura of elite troops in the army

In the Han army's main camp, a group of generals was discussing military affairs. Gongsun Xu sat in the main position, which originally belonged to Gongsun Zan. However, there was no opposition within the camp, as they were father and son, and Gongsun Xu's current prestige was no less than that of Gongsun Zan.

In their own barracks, they can process materials. Ever since coal has been used for heating, the army hardly needs any wood. Otherwise, with so much water, where would all that wood come from? This is also a puzzling point for Qiu Lijun; he cannot understand where the Han army gets so much wood to boil water. Winter is still long, do they not endure the winter?

Now the entire army knows that Xu Rong is one of Gongsun Xu's closest generals, and there is no need to mention others like Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun, Yan Liang, and Wen Chou. Xu Rong has also fully expressed his loyalty to Gongsun Xu. On this day, Gongsun Xu received intelligence and finally learned that the siege equipment used by Qiu Liju was secretly funded by Gongsun Kang. "Gongsun Kang, you are seeking your own death; you cannot blame me for that. If you must blame someone, blame yourself for occupying Liaodong," Gongsun Xu thought to himself.

This is also thanks to the deceased individuals; otherwise, the supplies would not be sufficient. Fortunately, Gongsun Kang will bring some grain over, and by being frugal on our own side, we can sustain our army for another two to three months

Due to heavy snowfall blocking the roads, Qiu Liju and Zhang Chun's army was delayed by one day compared to the original plan, which also provided Gongsun Xu with sufficient time to prepare for this great battle. The snow continued to fall, and the temperature was very low. Many soldiers in the rebel camp suffered from frostbite, and some severely injured soldiers even froze to death. To avoid affecting the morale of the troops, Qiu Liju sent people to handle the situation discreetly. However, Qiu Liju himself knew that a paper cannot cover fire; over time, it was certain that someone would leak the information. To avoid affecting the morale of the troops, Qiu Liju sent people to handle the situation discreetly. However, Qiu Liju himself knew that a paper cannot cover fire; over time, it was certain that someone would leak the information.

After a day of fighting, the rebels did not manage to scale the city walls, leaving behind a total of 7,000 corpses, although they returned to the main camp with 5,000 wounded. Qiuliju now understands that ending this war will not be so easy.

A month has passed, and Qiu Liju is still contemplating how to break through the Han army. Although Gongsun Kang has also sent a batch of siege equipment, and despite having attacked more than ten times in this month, the Han army is gaining momentum and becoming increasingly formidable. On our side, we have already suffered nearly 50,000 casualties, not including the wounded.

When Qiu Liju arrived at the Han army's camp with his troops, he was astonished. He had originally thought it was a well-fortified camp, but what lay before him was a towering wall, seven or eight zhang high. This was an ice city. Clearly, this was Gongsun Xu's strategy, a replica of Cao Cao's method during his campaign against Xiliang, where boiling water was poured over the city. Sand from the river could not form a wall, but with water and the cold weather, constructing a wall became much simpler. It was evident that this was Gongsun Xu's strategy, a replica of Cao Cao's method during his campaign against Xiliang, where boiling water was poured over the city. Sand from the river could not form a wall, but with water and the cold weather, constructing a wall became much simpler.

Gongsun Xu is unaware of everything happening in the Central Plains. During this period, he has been occupied with military affairs in the army, occasionally seeking advice from Xu Rong on military matters. Now, Gongsun Xu has realized that Xu Rong is indeed a great talent, and after this great battle, he will definitely be able to be dispatched to independently command an army.

Xu Rong, Zhao Yun, and Yan Liang were in strong agreement with the strategy of the young general. In ancient times, people believed in ghosts and deities, especially among the nomadic tribes of the grasslands. Since that is the case, I shall send you the command of the spirits, so that you may all go see the ghosts.

There was no way out. Qiu Liju ordered the first ten-thousand-man team to attack the city. Although the commander of the ten-thousand was extremely reluctant, he still carried out the order. Ten thousand cavalry approached the city wall, and when they were seventy paces away, each one drew their bow and nocked an arrow. Due to the snowfall, they had to enter a range close to the tabletop to ensure the arrows had lethal force

He cannot hinder his son's growth. The heavy snow on the grassland has blocked the roads, and messages cannot be conveyed. The last battle report received by Liu Yu, the Inspector of Youzhou, was that Gongsun Zan was ambushed and severely injured, with 150,000 rebel troops besieging the Han army. It has been nearly four months since Gongsun Zan mobilized his troops, and there have been no battle reports for over forty days. The Emperor has also lost hope. Originally, Zhang Chun's claim to the throne was a great offense against the world, which prompted the Emperor to dispatch troops in a fit of rage. However, it is now widely believed that Gongsun Zan's army has likely been completely annihilated, though no one in the court dares to speak of it.

During this period, aside from defending the city, Gongsun Xu did not relax the training of his soldiers. He selected 5,000 men from over 100,000 and entrusted them to Zhao Yun, training them in mounted archery just as his father had trained cavalry. Yan Liang and Wen Chou each commanded 10,000 troops. Due to the abundance of horses in the army, everyone had to practice horsemanship, so Yan Liang and Wen Chou's 10,000 soldiers were also cavalry. Additionally, Gongsun Xu selected another 5,000 men to be led by Zhang Fei, who not only practiced horsemanship but also engaged in daily long-distance running with weights. These 5,000 men were originally chosen based on their tall and strong physiques. After this period of training, each of them was full of vigor, practicing tirelessly every day and consuming meat daily, which naturally made them robust. Currently, Gongsun Xu's Han army consists of 30,000 cavalry and 50,000 infantry, which is even more than when they set out. Of course, if the laborers and young men are included, the number exceeds 100,000. However, Gongsun Xu intends to pursue a strategy of elite troops, so those individuals can at most be considered as support personnel.

At dawn, Qiu Liju ordered the slaughter of sheep and cattle to reward the three armies, and after they had eaten their fill, they would attack the Han army's main camp. Gongsun Xu suspected that the rebel forces would launch an attack today, as it had been confirmed yesterday that Qiu Liju was leading a large army.

However, this also increased his own danger. Gongsun Xu watched everything from the city wall; he understood that the first wave of attacks was meant to test the waters. Nevertheless, since the attack had begun, he too had to retaliate. There were three thousand soldiers on the city wall and ten thousand young men trained by Xu Rong. This was also something Gongsun Xu could arrange. Gongsun Xu planned to train those over one hundred thousand young men into his own force. Good soldiers are not made through training; they are forged in battle. Today was merely to allow the first batch to see blood and experience the atmosphere of the battlefield. However, after being slaves on the grasslands for so many years, these young men had become accustomed to life and death. It was only after being rescued that they began to have new hope for life.

It was initially thought that the Han army would exhaust its supplies within a month at most. However, reports from the soldiers sent to scout daily indicated that, regardless of their status, even the laborers of the Han army appeared well-fed and robust. Moreover, the sounds of battle echoed from the Han army's camp every day, suggesting that the troops were engaged in training. Even during the siege, it seemed that a portion of the enemy forces was still training, indicating that the Han army was not at all concerned about the possibility of their walls being breached. This deepened the fear of He Tushu Qiu Liju, leading him to question whether his decision to mobilize troops was a mistake, as he had been defeated by a mere child.

This expedition was decided by the Emperor himself, and no one dared to discuss it; anyone who dared to speak out would be slapping the Emperor's face. Recently, Emperor Ling of Han has had a poor complexion. Although no one mentioned the complete defeat of Gongsun Zan's army in his presence, he sensed that there were those mocking him behind his back. Few among the prominent families were virtuous, yet Liu Hong himself found it difficult to express his anger, as the atmosphere in the court was very mysterious. Each time he attended court, it left people on edge. However, Liu Hong himself found it difficult to express his anger, as the atmosphere in the court was very mysterious. Each time he attended court, it left people on edge.

There are many sayings in the folk, mostly referring to the complete destruction of Gongsun Zan's army. When the news arrived, some rejoiced while others were worried. The Yuan family was the most delighted; as long as Gongsun Zan was dead, their influence could infiltrate the Youzhou army. Liu Yu, that old man, was fine with internal affairs, but his military strategy was a complete mess. Otherwise, he wouldn't have insisted on appeasing the Wuhuan and Xianbei tribes year after year, only to face disturbances every year.

The self-inflicted damage to the city walls, amounting to several thousand, could likely be repaired by the enemy in less than a night. After today's failed attack, the morale of the army is unstable, and there are even rumors suggesting that the Han army's city walls were constructed with the assistance of celestial beings, implying that the Eternal Sky has abandoned the Xianbei people. Such rumors are detrimental to our cause. Qiu Liju has urged the commanders of various divisions to manage their subordinates effectively and to prevent any further rumors from spreading. After executing some of the rumor-mongers, the army has temporarily stabilized. However, Qiu Liju still feels a sense of foreboding.

Moreover, the total number of people now seems to be no less than 200,000, which suggests that reinforcements must have come from somewhere. This left Gongsun Xu perplexed; unable to make sense of it, he decided not to dwell on it. Early in the morning, Gongsun Xu ordered the preparation of meals, ensuring that everyone had meat and each person had soup.

The opponent is like an iron tortoise, impossible to defeat. The only thing one can do now is to trap the opponent and wait for them to exhaust their resources. When they can no longer bear the hunger, they will emerge for a final battle. Additionally, Qiu Liju has sought assistance from Gongsun Kang; siege equipment must be procured, as this battle cannot be fought without it

The city walls are very high, and they can even reflect light during the day. Qiu Liju did not expect a siege to occur; he had not brought heavy weapons and could not find any. Only Zhang Chun's camp had some ladders, and Zhang Chun had just sent someone to transport them. Now, caught in a difficult situation, he had no choice but to act, as the arrows were already on the string and had to be released.

There should be quite a few meteorites falling, Gongsun Xu thought to himself, and then said to the messenger, "Relay the order: slaughter a thousand cattle to reward the troops. In three days, we will defeat the rebel army. Heaven and the divine will support our forces; this is a signal from above, and it is time to go to battle"

By occupying the playground outside the Great Wall, there is capital to challenge the Han Dynasty. This is also the reason why Qiu Liju supported Zhang Chun's rebellion; with Zhang Chun as the troublemaker, he could take advantage of the chaos. It was precisely because of such a significant temptation that Qiu Liju dared to act against the norm, launching an attack during a time when military action seemed least likely, catching the Han Dynasty off guard. The Han Emperor, lacking military understanding, made a foolish decision in anger by ordering Gongsun Zan to mobilize troops, and coupled with Gongsun Zan's urgency to end the war, he fell into his own trap. It was precisely because of such a significant temptation that Qiu Liju dared to act against the norm, launching an attack during a time when military action seemed least likely, catching the Han Dynasty off guard. The Han Emperor, lacking military understanding, made a foolish decision in anger by ordering Gongsun Zan to mobilize troops, and coupled with Gongsun Zan's urgency to end the war, he fell into his own trap.

Hundreds of thousands of sheep have been slaughtered; now, if we do not eat them, shall we wait until next year when they spoil? Everyone is well-fed, and there is no panic or fear. After finishing their meals, they go about their business as usual, and not a single person is intimidated by the two hundred thousand troops outside, for a city wall obstructs their view, and most people are unaware of the situation outside.

After another day of training, that evening, Gongsun Xu was in the main tent discussing strategies to defeat the rebel army with Xu Rong, Zhao Yun, and Yan Liang. Gongsun Xu knew that the traitorous forces could not hold out much longer; now was the time to counterattack. Suddenly, someone outside shouted, "Meteor, look quickly!" Gongsun Xu stepped out of the tent and saw a meteor falling towards the direction of the rebel camp.

Gongsun Zan's wife also fell ill, and during this time, Liu Jun and his wife have been by their daughter's side, comforting her. Zhang Yun has also visited a few times, but he himself is not feeling well; sending his only son to the military for training only to face such an outcome is deeply painful for him. In the Zhen residence of Zhongshan Wuj, the third young lady, Zhen Dao, has been ill for a month. The Zhen family has tried every possible method, but to no avail. Zhen Dao's elder sister has been by her side, and whenever Zhen Dao wakes up, she always asks, "Sister, do you think he will die?" Zhen Dao's sister, Zhen Jiang, does not know how to respond and can only offer comfort time and again. In the Zhen residence of Zhongshan Wuj, the third young lady, Zhen Dao, has been ill for a month. The Zhen family has tried every possible method, but to no avail. Zhen Dao's elder sister has been by her side, and whenever Zhen Dao wakes up, she always asks, "Sister, do you think he will die?" Zhen Dao's sister, Zhen Jiang, does not know how to respond and can only offer comfort time and again.

Rescue the army in its time of peril, and defeat the enemy at the height of their arrogance. Gongsun Zan had already awakened, but he was still recuperating and did not wish to take command of the entire army for the time being. After learning of all that had transpired, he felt it best to allow his son to continue leading everyone, for the flower nurtured in a greenhouse is always the most fragile

When night fell, Gongsun Xu sent people down with ropes to collect bows and weapons from the battlefield. Although the fighting during the day had been impressive, the arrows had been consumed in large quantities. Moreover, there were still over 100,000 able-bodied men on their side without any weapons. Whatever could be collected would be collected; as long as it was iron, it must be retrieved.

With a tribe as support, a pure shield in Zhang Chun, and the intention of Liaodong's Gongsun Kang to ally with me, who even secretly sent troops to assist me, Gongsun Zan is bound to be defeated this time. Tomorrow, the entire army will attack Gongsun Zan's main camp.

The weather is so cold, and with injuries and insufficient firewood, those who are injured are essentially rendered useless. Every day, wounded soldiers die. Qiuliju is currently very agitated, as no one can offer any good suggestions. If this situation continues, his supplies will soon be depleted, and the army has only one month's worth of provisions left.

After the fifth batch of ten thousand troops retreated, Zhang Chun brought the ladders. Qiu Liju changed the siege tactics, deploying three batches of ten thousand troops at once, with ten thousand responsible for the siege and the other twenty thousand providing cover fire. As long as they could reach the city walls, they could overwhelm the enemy with their numerical advantage. The intensity of the attack increased, and Gongsun Xu could not simply allow them to strike unopposed. After a busy morning, the young and strong troops went down to rest and replaced them with eight thousand archers and ten thousand laborers. This time, there were twenty thousand laborers accompanying the expedition, and all those who could be utilized in battle had to be sent to the front. Moreover, the casualties on this side would be significant, and when they returned to recruit soldiers, most of these twenty thousand laborers would likely enlist. Now was the time to let them see blood on the battlefield.

If the arrows cannot be shot up, what is there to attack? Three batches of ten thousand troops have gone down consecutively, leaving behind over five thousand corpses, with even more injured. Qiu Liju is also pained, as this is the strength he has accumulated over many years. However, among the allied forces, he has the greatest influence; if he does not take the lead to set an example, there will be no way to continue this battle. Zhang Chun's troops are even worse than his own, and Gongsun Kang's forces are not under his command. This battle is frustrating. Zhang Chun's troops are even worse than his own, and Gongsun Kang's forces are not under his command. This battle is frustrating.

Therefore, it is imperative to bring this great war to a swift conclusion. Gongsun Zan has already fallen into a coma, and the one whom the Xianbei fear the most can no longer manage affairs. Qiu Liju is extremely excited. As long as he can capture this army and then lead his troops to plunder Youzhou, his own tribe will undoubtedly grow rapidly. The eastern Xianbei region is already within his grasp; if he can also seize the central Xianbei region, he will become the overlord of the steppe, and the Xiongnu will become his vassals. As long as he can capture this army and then lead his troops to plunder Youzhou, his own tribe will undoubtedly grow rapidly. The eastern Xianbei region is already within his grasp; if he can also seize the central Xianbei region, he will become the overlord of the steppe, and the Xiongnu will become his vassals

On the second day, the sky was still snowing. It was not a suitable time to deploy troops, but Qiu Liju could not wait. Although his brother mentioned that the opposing side had many fierce generals, warfare does not solely rely on individual bravery; it also depends on strength. Now that the enemy was trapped and far from home, their morale was certainly low. Furthermore, with their commander injured, as long as he intensified the attack, it was highly likely that the enemy would suffer a complete rout.