Chapter 1, The Glory of Soldiers

At last, the city gate collapsed with a thunderous crash

... ...

Thus, Hu Hai and Zhao Gao were still unwilling to accept their fate. They vowed to exterminate the Meng clan along with their nine generations, leaving no trace behind to feel at ease. Consequently, the court issued urgent edicts one after another, ordering all counties to immediately arrest anyone associated with the Meng clan, especially the military officers serving in the army.

Li You, the son of Li Si, the Chancellor of the Great Qin, inherited his father's brilliance and became the highest administrative official of the fertile and prosperous San Chuan. Although he did not possess the extraordinary talents of his father, he was not an incompetent individual. After receiving the imperial edict, Li You, in order to prevent a hasty arrest of Meng Ping from inciting a military mutiny, meticulously devised a trap. On the eve of the army's departure, when they were indulging in revelry, Li You hosted a banquet with music and dance at his residence to honor Meng Ping.

Minor injuries do not excuse one from the battlefield; the honor of a soldier surpasses all else. Those who shrink back in fear and seek to save their own lives are utterly unworthy of being a part of the great Qin army.

The towering bluestone city walls, illuminated by piles of bonfires, resemble a gigantic, ravenous beast.

Fuge mechanically repeated the actions of aiming, pulling the trigger, and firing; aiming, pulling the trigger, and firing again, his entire body drenched in sweat. However, Fuge felt he was still quite fortunate, as what flowed from him was merely sweat, not blood

The final outcome was that Meng Ping, who was not suspicious of any deceit, was immediately imprisoned in the Xinyang prison. The reason for this conspiracy was singular: the Meng family, which once held significant power in the capital of the Qin Dynasty, had failed in the struggle for power.

Whoosh, whoosh! Both sides were continuously shooting arrows at the enemy at the fastest speed, and no one dared to stop, for everyone was acutely aware that they were in a race against death, with their own lives as the stakes.

But what difference does it make if it hits the target

... ...

The power of the crossbow is astonishing, but unfortunately the interval between shots is too long. The numerous rebel soldiers took advantage of the gap between the first and second volleys of crossbow bolts to advance to within approximately 250 paces of the city wall

The illustrated books are invaluable!

In an instant, thousands of arrows blotted out the sky as they shot towards the enemy soldiers advancing on the city. Although they raised their shields high, the dense volley of arrows still turned the first few rows of approximately one hundred soldiers into a porcupine.

However, for the soldiers who still cling to life, the shadow of death is ever-present

The Lin Tao troops were originally a passing army through Xingyang and were not familiar with the situation here; therefore, the supply of provisions and military resources was primarily the responsibility of Li You, the governor of San Chuan Commandery

Meng Ping, whose surname is Meng, hails from the illustrious Meng family in the history of the Qin Dynasty. In the first year of King Zhuangxiang of Qin, the world had yet to be unified, and the seven powerful states of Qin, Chu, Yan, Zhao, Han, Wei, and Qi were vying for dominance in the Central Plains. Meng Tian served as a general of the Qin Empire, initially attacking Han and capturing Chenggao and Xingyang, establishing what is now known as San Chuan Commandery. Subsequently, Meng Tian led his troops to attack Zhao, seizing thirty-seven cities. When the talented and ambitious Emperor Qin Shi Huang ascended the throne, Meng Tian's military prowess was fully realized, as his army swept through the six states of the eastern territories, leaving no resistance. Later, the armies of the eastern states would flee in terror at the mere sight of the military banner bearing the character "Meng." In the seventh year of Emperor Qin Shi Huang's reign, Meng Tian passed away. His son, Meng Wu, served as a general of Qin, joining the renowned general Wang Jian in the campaign against Chu, where they achieved a great victory, killing the Chu general Xiang Yan and capturing the King of Chu.

In order to gain the initiative in the war, the army of the Great Qin has been engaged in fierce battles with the rebels in Xingyang City for more than two months, resulting in casualties exceeding ten thousand on both sides. If it were not for the cooling weather of late autumn, the bodies buried in the moat would be even more unbearable in their stench

Meng Ping is the captain of 2,000 soldiers in the southern army of the Qin Dynasty. Although he is merely a mid-level officer, in the eyes of Hu Hai and Zhao Gao, controlling the army equates to having the foundation for rebellion. Such a person must not be allowed to remain.

The person holding Fu Ge's shoulder is a middle-aged lieutenant wearing a flat-topped hat and simple leather armor. At this moment, he is crouching beside Fu Ge under the parapet, his face ashen, and his bloodshot eyes fixed intently on the outside of the city. Although Li You holds the highest official position in the city, the true commander is he—Meng Ping, the lieutenant commander of the Southern Army Corps of the Great Qin, stationed in Lintao.

However, this time, Fu Ge was mistaken

Upon learning of the rebel attack, Li You organized a daring counteroffensive. He dispatched three thousand infantry stationed in Xingyang to confront the enemy outside the city. The outcome was predictable; this force was soon overwhelmed by the tide of rebels, and not a single soldier returned to report the news.

Why hasn't the supply team arrived yet, that dog official Li You! Meng Ping's eyes were bloodshot, his voice hoarse and weak. He struck the city wall with a heavy palm, the continuous days and nights of guarding had drained all the energy from this iron-willed man. This was the first time Fu Ge had seen Meng Ping lose his composure; in his impression, General Meng had always been a steady figure, never showing his emotions.

Fu Ge is a low-ranking crossbowman from the Lintao division. His primary combat task is to aim and fire. The sight on the crossbow automatically adjusts the trigger to the firing position when it is drawn, thereby increasing the rate of fire. The crossbow troops are an elite unit within the powerful Qin army, known for their repeated military achievements. Armed with highly lethal crossbows, they can unleash a torrential rain of arrows in an instant, making it impossible for the swift Xiongnu cavalry on the grasslands to escape the pursuit of death.

Every new emperor brings new ministers. The most trusted official of the second emperor, Hu Hai, was his teacher, Zhao Gao, the Minister of the Central Vehicle Department. The greatest source of anxiety for Emperor Hu Hai was the potential rebellion of the remaining supporters of the former crown prince, Fu Su, which threatened his throne

On the city tower, the pitch-black banner of the Great Qin army still flies high. The surviving soldiers are diligently checking the performance of the crossbows in the gaps, counting the arrows in their quivers, polishing the edges of their blades, and bandaging their bleeding wounds

Shoot, shoot again. Fu Ge no longer wishes to see what the situation outside is like, for fifty meters below the city is already filled with enemies, and any arrow or book that is released will hit.

Zhao Gao was a eunuch and also a petty man who sought revenge for the slightest grievance. In the past, Meng Yi was stripped of his official status because Zhao Gao secretly instructed Hu Hai on how to handle lawsuits, which led to a deep-seated enmity between them. When Hu Hai ascended to the throne, the misfortunes of the Meng family began. In the spring of the first year of the Second Emperor, Meng Wu's two sons, Meng Tian and Meng Yi, were successively executed, and the descendants of the Meng family remaining in Xianyang were all captured, leaving no chance for the elderly, weak, women, or children to survive. When Hu Hai ascended to the throne, the misfortunes of the Meng family began. In the spring of the first year of the Second Emperor, Meng Wu's two sons, Meng Tian and Meng Yi, were successively executed, and the descendants of the Meng family remaining in Xianyang were all captured, leaving no chance for the elderly, weak, women, or children to survive

Thus, due to the commander being imprisoned, the elite troops of the Qin in the Lintao region had no choice but to remain in Xingyang, awaiting the court's appointment of a new general. At this critical moment, the rebel forces suddenly besieged the city.

For the soldiers who have already died, the shackles of war have finally been lifted; in an instant, the acrid smoke permeated the air, mingled with the foul stench of burnt corpses, causing nausea at the mere whiff.

Release the strong crossbow!

Since the time of Meng Ao, the Meng family enjoyed the favor of Emperor Qin Shi Huang for three generations. However, as the saying goes, prosperity leads to decline. After Emperor Qin Shi Huang passed away during his tour, the good fortune of the Meng family also came to an end

The night is as bright as day

One vibrant life after another comes to an end, regardless of whether they are an enemy or a companion

The drums thundered, shaking the earth and mountains, as the rebel forces erupted with earth-shattering battle cries, charging towards the city from the left, center, and right. Simultaneously, a volley of powerful arrows shot towards the city walls. After enduring passive attacks, it was finally the turn of the enemy archers to unleash their might. Although their arrows were far less dense than those of the defending crossbowmen, they had the advantage of numbers; as soon as a soldier on the walls showed even a hint of themselves, they would become targets for the enemy archers below. After enduring passive attacks, it was finally the turn of the enemy archers to unleash their might. Although their arrows were far less dense than those of the defending crossbowmen, they had the advantage of numbers; as soon as a soldier on the walls showed even a hint of themselves, they would become targets for the enemy archers below.

With a spacing of 250 steps, the power of the long-range crossbow is actually inferior to that of the individual strong crossbow. Now it is the turn of Fu Ge and the crossbowmen to perform. The dense and chaotic rebel soldiers surge forward, allowing the crossbowmen to not even need to peek to check their sights. These rebels clearly have not received much tactical training, and the recent days of offense and defense have further convinced Fu Ge of this point. The rebels' charge is nothing more than a swarm rushing forward; they do not understand the tactics of spreading out and taking cover.

When the rebels approached the city, apart from the Lintao troops under his command, Li You had only hurriedly recruited over 1,000 able-bodied men. In a desperate situation, Li You had no choice but to disobey orders and release General Meng Ping from prison, assigning him the responsibility of defending the city. Li You himself took refuge in the more fortified inner city, perhaps believing that distancing himself from the front lines would ensure his safety. Little did he know that once the rebels breached the city, he would find it difficult to escape with his life.

The enemy is coming!" Just as Fu Ge was lost in thought, a startled cry rang out from beside him

As they approached within two hundred steps, the sound of three drumbeats suddenly echoed from the ranks of the rebels, and the formation changed dramatically

There are too many rebels. No matter how many are killed, it is never enough.

In the second year of the reign of the Second Emperor of the Qin Dynasty, in the eleventh month (according to the Qin calendar, the year begins on the first day of the tenth month), the military stronghold of Xingyang.

At that moment, a sharp arrow whistled through the air, passing just above Fu Ge's head

However, in this battle, the enemy's forces were ten times that of the defenders, with their total manpower reportedly reaching 50,000. In contrast, the Qin army trapped within the city numbered fewer than 3,000, which included 1,000 young men from the counties with little combat capability. The true responsibility for defense fell upon the elite troops of the Qin regular army—the Southern Expeditionary Force from Lintao.

Bang! The rebels charged forward fearlessly, and several long ladders and siege ropes had already been set up against the city walls. At the same time, the battering rams repeatedly gathered strength to strike against the city gates, the tremendous noise causing the walls to begin to tremble

This is a life-and-death struggle.

The enemy transformed from one force into three. The originally chaotic circular formation quickly split into three assault formations. The two flanks consisted of infantry carrying long ladders, while the center was protected by archers and shield bearers, featuring more than ten siege towers equipped with massive logs.

If it were not for a special event, this army should currently be in a place called Yanguan in the south. However, just as they were replenishing their supplies and preparing to depart, the court suddenly issued an urgent edict, ordering Li You, the governor of Sichuan Prefecture, to immediately arrest and escort Meng Ping, the commander of the Lintao division, to the capital.

"General, we have run out of arrows!" As Fu Ge prepared to pull the trigger of the bronze crossbow once more, he heard the almost desperate cry of his companion beside him

Crossbowmen, prepare! Fire!" As the command was given, the soldiers immediately tensed their muscles, pushing their feet against the crossbow bed with all their strength. This type of crossbow required the combined effort of three soldiers to operate: one to aim, one to stabilize the crossbow frame, and the last one, the strongest, to push the crossbow bed. Unlike a single bow, this giant crossbow could reach a maximum range of 1,000 zhang, with an effective range of 500 zhang, far exceeding any type of bow (1 zhang in the Qin dynasty is approximately 0.3 meters today). The last one, the strongest, pushed the crossbow bed, and unlike a single bow, this giant crossbow could reach a maximum range of 1,000 zhang, with an effective range of 500 zhang, far exceeding any type of bow (1 zhang in the Qin dynasty is approximately 0.3 meters today)

The sounds of screams rose and fell in succession

Therefore, Fu Ge only needs to estimate the angle at which the crossbow is raised by referring to Wangshan, and then he can easily wait for the command. After that, he simply pulls the bronze trigger, allowing the crossbow bolts to fly along a parabolic trajectory. Wave after wave of arrows will soon dampen the enemy's morale; even if they rush close to the city, it will merely add another pile of earth to the already full moat.

The battlefield, once filled with the sounds of drums and horns during the day, now lies in utter silence. After several days of fierce fighting, even the sturdy city walls have become dilapidated, let alone the flesh-and-blood soldiers. Among the broken walls and debris outside the city, there are scattered broken bows and arrows. A group of about ten old soldiers, dressed in brown cloth, are laboriously clearing the battlefield. They are struggling to gather the bodies of their fallen comrades into one place while lighting piles of bonfires in preparation for cremating the corpses.

Outside the city, the deafening sounds of battle echoed, causing Fu Ge's heart to race with anxiety. He cautiously leaned out to see what was happening below the city, only to be suddenly gripped by a pair of large hands that firmly held his shoulders.