Chapter 94: The Siege!

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“My husband, is there still no news from the Eastern City of Jinyang?”

Inside the residence, Madam Li watched her husband, Liu Wenjing, rise from bed. Carrying his clothes, she approached to help him dress. After a moment’s thought, she decided to ask.

“The Western and Eastern Cities are separated by the Fen River. Now that the rebel forces surround the city, obtaining any news is no simple matter!” Liu Wenjing said softly, then looked toward his wife.

“Madam, are you worried about that junior captain in the Eastern City?” Liu Wenjing inquired.

Li did not conceal her thoughts and nodded as she met her husband’s gaze.

“That young master is quite capable! He was the one who initially petitioned to dig the canal and requested the transfer of provisions. Because of this, officials and nobles from both the Eastern and Western Cities of Jinyang mocked him for a long time! Sadly, no one believed him back then; they even ridiculed him as the ‘Mouse Captain.’ If only someone had trusted him earlier, gathered enough grain, armor, and clothes for the Eastern City, the officials inside wouldn’t be so constantly anxious. They fear that once the Eastern City falls, the rebel armies will camp there and launch relentless attacks on the Western City day after day!”

As she helped Liu Wenjing dress, Li spoke continuously, seemingly defending the young captain whom she had seen only once.

“Yes. If even one person had trusted him, the officials, generals, and noble families in the Western City would not be so fearful and restless every day!”

This time, Liu Wenjing did not refute his wife’s words but sighed with a trace of melancholy.

He thought of the noble clans within the city, the Jinyang officials, and the commanders of Yingyang Prefecture—all anxious and unsettled, even the officers and soldiers.

Liu Wenjing could not help but smile wryly. Previously, no one thought any rebel would dare attack Taiyuan. But now, with over a hundred thousand rebel troops besieging Jinyang, all anyone knows is fear.

Ironically, the young captain once mocked by all now stands guard in the city’s Eastern side, leading the defense against the rebel horde from across the Fen River.

“Husband, if no reinforcements come, how many days can the Eastern City hold?”

Li tidied his clothes and asked one last question.

Seeing the look in his wife’s eyes, Liu Wenjing pondered, then, seeing no one else in the room, sighed and shook his head.

“To hold Jinyang’s Eastern City, the heart of the people is crucial. The noble clans and great families in the Western City have officials serving the Sui Dynasty, but the Eastern City’s clans are mostly minor or impoverished families. Facing a rebel force over a hundred thousand strong, those families would rather not die with the city—they will seek ways to surrender in exchange for safety and wealth. Moreover, the Eastern City’s current defense relies entirely on the previously dug moat. Once that moat is filled in, the city will fall at any moment.”

Liu Wenjing did not hide anything from his wife.

As the magistrate of Jinyang, he knew everything about the Eastern City: its population, its walls, even the canal dug at his special inspection.

The rebel army on the plains across the river numbers over a hundred thousand, equipped with large siege engines. Based on the scouting expeditions sent by Zhang Pinggao and Liu Wenjing’s knowledge of the city’s defenders, holding the Eastern City against such a force is nearly impossible.

Just like he had remarked in a recent conversation with Pei Ji—only if a battlefield genius or a warlord were alive at the same time could the Eastern City be defended under such circumstances.

“Master!”

Li’s eyes darkened, seemingly saddened for that young captain within the Eastern City. Before the couple could speak further, startled voices suddenly echoed from the courtyard.

Liu Wenjing and Li turned to see a servant rushing hurriedly into the room.

“Master! The soldiers on the city wall have observed that the moat’s water across the Fen River has turned murky and stopped flowing. In the distance, many drums can be heard—it seems the rebel army has begun assaulting the Eastern City!”

The servant reported.

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“What?” Liu Wenjing’s expression changed sharply, and he hurried outside.

Li sighed. In her mind, she recalled the young captain she had seen that night in the main hall, remembered the look in his eyes as if he had something unspoken. She closed her eyes, clasped her hands in prayer, murmuring softly.

“Buddha, I beg for your protection… please watch over…”

Only Li’s faint voice filled the quiet room.

---

Outside Jinyang’s Eastern City.

Under Zhen Zhai’er’s command, tens of thousands of rebel soldiers, as if given a death order, tirelessly transported earth.

In less than three days, towering earthen mounds rose not far from the city walls—nearly level with the battlements. Siege engines like catapults were pushed forward, capable of hurling massive stones inside the city.

Zhen Zhai’er rode her warhorse at the army’s forefront, accompanied by generals and strategists, watching Jinyang’s Eastern City.

She observed the steady procession of earth-carts filling the moat while soldiers risked arrows shot from the walls.

Coldness filled her eyes. The promise of five days of slaughter stirred the rebel army’s bloodlust. Without the protective moat, she wanted to see how long the Eastern City could hold.

“Report! General! The moat has been filled!”

A mounted messenger galloped up, dismounted swiftly, and reported to Zhen Zhai’er.

Upon hearing this, Tang Zhenhao, Yang Boyue, and others looked toward the Eastern City, cruel, excited smiles on their faces as if they already saw the city’s downfall.

“Order the assault!”

Zhen Zhai’er commanded coldly, eyes fixed on the Eastern City.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Amid the beating war drums, mounted messengers bearing command flags dashed rapidly through the rebel formations, relaying orders.

The captains leading the formations drew their swords and pointed toward the Eastern City.

“Attack!”

“Attack!”

With the captains’ fierce shouts, orderly infantry formations bearing shields charged toward the city, followed by towering siege towers, ladders, and battering rams pushed forward by groups of soldiers.

The sight of these infantry squares and massive siege engines lined up side by side was suffocatingly oppressive.

On the battlements of the Eastern City—

“Watch out!”

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“Quick!!!”

Inside the city’s walls, amidst cries of alarm, soldiers hurried back and forth.

They had grown accustomed to the catapult-thrown boulders; although massive, they could be seen in flight. Soldiers assigned to sections of the wall warned passersby to take cover beside the ramparts or even pushed them down to avoid injury.

What truly unsettled everyone were the high earthen mounds outside the city, behind which the rebels had begun shooting arrows into the city.

Arrows flew faster and more frequently than the catapult stones. More soldiers and civilians were wounded or killed by arrows than by the monstrous boulders.

“Get up there quickly!”

Seeing the rebel army advancing across the plains, fearful shouts echoed as defenders scrambled up wooden platforms on the ramparts.

These platforms rose several yards above the walls and were constructed of bundled wood. Brave defenders could even add height if needed.

Currently, the archers stood atop these platforms, bows drawn, heads bowed slightly as they loosed arrows upon the rebels behind the earthen mounds.

However, the rebels had placed soaked, muddy planks on the mounds, limiting the damage arrows could inflict.

The platforms’ advantage was obvious, but so was their weakness: nearly all the rebel catapults targeted the platforms, attempting to crush them with boulders.

“Shoot!”

“Hurry!”

Amid countless cries, Fu Zihou, armored and sword at his side, looked out at the orderly shields of rebel soldiers and towering siege engines beyond the city walls.

At Qinghe County, Fu Zihou had led troops against Zhang Jincheng’s forces. Those rebels besieging Qinghe were no match for the rebel army now outside the city.

Their armor, weapons, siege machinery, even command formations were indistinguishable from a formal army.

Fu Zihou felt he was not battling mere bandits but a full-fledged military force.

“The rebels have gone mad in the last two days!” Hu Jingyuan, standing beside Fu Zihou, watched tens of thousands of rebel troops preparing to assault the city and looked tense.

Considering the size of the rebel army, Hu Jingyuan wondered how long the Eastern City could hold.

“The rebel general’s slaughter order has naturally inflamed their troops!” Fu Zihou said softly.

Seeing the rebels’ frenzy these past days, Fu Zihou recalled his teacher’s words.

For ants, the greatest temptation is food. For an army, it is battle honors. For rebels, the greatest temptation is the slaughter of a city.

“Slaughter…”

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