Book 11 Chapter 4 - Defending the City to the Death Alone
Kou Zhong shouted toward Du Fuwei, who was on the hill, "When you, Ol' Die, are captured and be brought into Zhuangzhu's presence, Zhuangzhuand you may have a heart-to-heart talk. Ha!”
With a long laugh he stop Du Fuwei from continuing.
The construction battalion pushing the cloud ladder and the armored troops were starting to move, followed by the ramming vehicle to break the city wall and city gate.
Xu Ziling and Kou Zhong exchanged glances; they both thought that it would be strange indeed if a man as astute as Du Fuwei would not suspect Fang Zetao's death.
Feng Han spoke in a low voice, "The moat is filled up, the enemy can directly batter the city wall. If we can make it through the night, it could be considered not bad.”
Kou Zhong asked, "How long will it take to evacuate everybody to the Ranch? I only need the most elite troops of the Village to stay with me.”
Feng Han replied, "Du Fuwei's target is to take Jingling, so that he will have strongholds to launch both water and land attack toward the cities along Han River's coastal area, as a shortcut to march toward Luoyang later. Now that he has leveled up the moat on this side, the other units will come here soon to ensure day and night siege; therefore, the common people can leave the city via the other gates safe and sound. If we have three days, then all personnel that have nothing to do with city defense can be removed far to a safe area.”
"In that case,” Kou Zhong decided, "We must hold on for three days, let's see how formidable the Jianghuai Army really is.”
Feng Han's face revealed a pained look, "I'm afraid the morale of the troops is quite low,” he said, "Qian Yun has always been at odds with Dashu [first uncle], he will definitely use this opportunity to seize power over the military. Worse yet, the news of Zhuangzhu's death may leak any time. If that happens, no one will have the heart to continue fighting zealously, and then holding on for even one sichen will be a problem.”
Kou Zhong spoke resolutely, "People look toward the high place, water flows toward low elevation. Right now the only hope the Jingling's citizens have is to flee toward the Flying Horse Ranch, and we are the only one who can guarantee that that will happen, not a lowly scum like Qian Yun. Let us give the Old Du a fierce fighting first to strengthen the confidence of the officers and soldiers before discussing about the pros and cons. I don't believe everybody will be so dumb as being unwilling to fight bravely for their own, as well as their relatives' lives. Hey! How can I issue an order?”
Feng Han called out loudly, "Where is Feng Qing?”
A young man scrambled forward and kneeled in front of the three people, "Feng Qing's here!” he replied.
Feng Han said, "This is my younger brother Feng Qing. Any instruction Kou Shuai [Commander-in-Chief] have, you may tell him and have him do it.”
It was the first time that anybody has ever called him ‘Commander Kou'. While he was feeling highly complacent, a warrior rushed in panic up the city wall and reported, "Not good! Leading several hundred of his personal troops, General Qian Yun is heading this way.”
Xu Ziling laughed aloud and said, "I'll leave the heavy responsibility to defend the city to Commander Kou, let me deal with Qian Yun.” Finished speaking, he pulled Feng Han along and left.
Kou Zhong's gaze returned to outside the city. The armored shooting arrow vehicle gradually entered the city defense' catapult range.
"Kou Shuai,” Feng Qing reminded him, "We can release the rocks and arrows soon!”
Coldly and calmly Kou Zhong replied, "Let them get a bit closer, then the rocks and arrows will have more power.”
Feng Qing hastily sounded the bugle horn, signaling the city defense warriors not to act rashly.
"Come with me!” Kou Zhong shouted loudly, and strode along the city wall. Feng Qing and a group of his personal guards scrambled to follow him.
Along the way, Kou Zhong comforted the troops defending the city and boosted their morale.
Everybody knew his matchless divine bravery; although they were not clear why he suddenly replaced Fang Zetao, but looking at his flashing eyes, his magnificent trim build, his dragon stride and tiger step as he walked, his voice that exuded strong fighting spirit and confidence, his imposing style of considering himself unexcelled in the world, everywhere he went he aroused burst of salutes and shouts of cheers; the morale was greatly boosted.
After walking along nearly half a li of the city wall, Kou Zhong turned around and walked back while shouting, "You listen: Jingling Army will prevail, Jianghuai Army will fail.”
Following his lead, all the officers and soldiers shouted together, their voices filled the night, so that the enemy's shouts and battle cry were completely drowned.
Filled with admiration, Feng Qing said, "Zhuangzhu has never encouraged us the way Kou Shuai do. Oh! We can release the rocks and arrows now.”
Kou Zhong calmly turned his eyes toward the Jianghuai Army. Sure enough, their vanguard battalion has already entered the hundred-zhang range. Smiling, he said, "We can wait just a bit longer.”
Feng Qing wanted to persuade further, Kou Zhong suddenly stopped next to a catapult. He stood still in full concentration.
The enemy continued to advance.
※ ※ ※
Qian Yun, leading three hundred troops, his supporters, furiously rushed along the main street toward the main gate.
Presently Jinling's main force was concentrated here. As long as he could kill Feng Ge, the control over the military would fall into his hands. At that time, dealing with Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling would not be too late.
While he was having that thought and was feeling over the moon, a pressing force suddenly came overhead. His warhorse was the first to buckle, throwing Qian Yun forward.
By the time Qian Yun landed on the ground and looked up, he saw Xu Ziling pouncing on him from the top of a two-story building nearby. When he was about to pull his sword, he felt sharp pain on the pit of his stomach. With a miserable shriek he died on the spot.
Xu Ziling landed among the soldiers, and immediately soared back into the air. From all around hundreds of archers appeared, surrounding Qian Yun's soldiers.
With the seal of authority held high above his head, Feng Han appeared in the middle of the street and shouted, "Abandon your weapons, those who rebel will die.”
Xu Ziling stood by his side, looking as formidable as an immortal.
Witnessing how Qian Yun died without even any chance to fight back, the soldiers knew that the momentum was lost. One after another they surrendered and realigned their allegiance.
And thus a civil war was averted.
※ ※ ※
Kou Zhong inspected a large block of rock that appeared to be around a hundred catty; he shouted, "Du Fuwei, let's see what will happen to your armored vehicle.”
With a loud shout he kicked hard, hurling the rock flying toward the armored vehicle, which was about seventy zhang away from the city wall.
First the large rock rose about a zhang high, and then it spun swiftly as it flew toward the wooden structure of the armored vehicle.
People inside and outside the city were staring with their eyes wide open. Nobody believed that a piece of rock like this would be able to destroy an armored vehicle.
Yet Kou Zhong displayed his astonishing divine power and judgment.
‘Boom!'
The large rock hit the wooden structure squarely, smashing it into smithereens.
Beyond all expectation, the armored vehicle did not move back, instead, it leaned sideways and toppled. ‘Bang!' it fell on its side, injuring a dozen or more people in the process.
Everybody could only stare blankly.
The officers and soldiers defending the city burst into an earth shattering cheers.
Knowing the time was right, Kou Zhong roared, "Release the rocks and arrows!”
Amidst the battle cry, along the city wall extended over a li, about a hundred catapults shot out large rocks, along with countless arrows raining down toward the nearly ten thousand enemies attacking the city. Immediately the vehicles rolled over and people collapsed in an extremely tragic scene.
The battle has unfolded a new leaf.
Kou Zhong spoke to Feng Qing in a low voice, "That will do! Now even if they knew that your Zhuangzhu is dead, there shouldn't be any problem.”
Feng Qing's eyes were brimming with unbounded respect.
※ ※ ※
By the time Xu Ziling returned to the city wall, Jingling Army has crushed the enemy's first wave of attack, leaving hundreds of dead bodies, more than a dozen armored vehicles, siege towers, and countless broken bows and arrows, as well as other weapons.
The city wall was full of military personnel and able-bodied civilians going back and forth to replenish the supply of arrows, rocks, boiling oils, and so on, which were being continuously used up in the city fortification.
The high-ranking military officers executed every order that Kou Zhong issued without the slightest hesitation.
Jianghuai Army's battle drums resounded. The destroyed unit withdrew, while another unit, about five thousand strong, started to advance toward the city gate to be engaged in what appeared to be more than what they could attend to.
Xu Ziling came to Kou Zhong's side. Looking at the enemy outside the city, he said, "Qian Yun has been taken care of!”
Kou Zhong acted as if he did not hear it; pointing at the hundred or so trebuchets moving toward the city wall, he said, "Those stupid things are so formidable; just now they managed to knock several sections of our wall, and crush several hundred of our men to their death. If this situation continues, I am afraid we won't last until tomorrow. Do you have any ideas?”
Xu Ziling thought for a moment before replying, "I'd better take men to rush out and kill the enemy for a moment. What do you think?”
Frowning, Kou Zhong said, "What good will that do? If the enemy cut your escape route, I am afraid you will be the only one who could come back alive. Besides, those stupid things cannot be easily destroyed.”
Xu Ziling said, "As long as we have a good grasp of the timing; one group is responsible for killing and breaking up the enemy's rank, the other group is in charge of pouring kerosene to those siege towers, armored vehicles, trebuchets and what have you, and then the men on the city wall will be in charge of shooting fiery-arrows. I guarantee that the Ol' Die can only stare in envy.”
Kou Zhong slapped the wall and cried out, "Wonderful!” Immediately he had a general selected five thousand elite troops and put them under Xu Ziling's command, while he himself went to the city gate to make preparation.
‘Boom!'
Fragments of stone splashed, a piece of big rock landed on the city wall by Kou Zhong's side.
"Release the arrows!” Kou Zhong thundered.
Several thousand arrows were shot out of the battlements on the city wall toward the enemy flocking toward the gate.
Two siege towers rushed in. Before the vehicle arrived, more than a dozen men already leaped out and soared toward the city wall.
Kou Zhong knew the opponent's martial art masters have arrived; luckily he did not see the Ol' Die Du Fuwei among them. With a loud shout he also leaped up, the Moon in the Well turned into a streak of sharp light, rolling toward the incoming enemies.