Chapter 3

At dawn, the sharp sound of the horn echoed, signaling the gathering of the Haneast army for the impending attack.

Luo Shixin tightly gripped the iron spear given to him by his mother, his palms and back drenched in cold sweat. The loud horn blasts filled his ears, and before his eyes, the Haneast soldiers were orderly lining up outside the city. Siege ladders, battering rams, and other simple siege weapons were ready. It was only a matter of time before the order to attack was given.

The real battle was about to begin.

At the Haneast army camp!

Liu Heita led his generals, braving the strong wind, and gazed at the摇摇欲坠的Ming River small city. Considering the current situation, he couldn't help but feel a bit anxious.

Liu Heita had experienced many storms in his life: the chaos at the end of the Sui Dynasty, the rise of numerous heroes, but the only ones truly capable of vying for the throne were the four major powers: Duke Wei Li Mi, Emperor Tang Li Yuan, King Zheng Wang Shichong, and King Xia Dou Jiande. Except for Li Yuan, Liu Heita had served under the other three, and he had done quite well, becoming a wise and brave general with extensive battle experience.

After raising the banner of avenging Dou Jiande, Liu Heita first defeated the Prefect of Beizhou Dai Yuanxiang and the Prefect of Weizhou Wei Quan, then broke through the combined forces of Prince Huai'an Li Shentong and the Governor of Youzhou Luo Yi, capturing the brothers Xue Wanjun. He then drove away the famous general Li Shiji, who was completely defeated and barely escaped with his life. Even the Khan of the Turks, Jiali, sent the Turkic chieftain Song Yena to assist him. In just half a year, he defeated the nearly invincible Li Tang, reclaimed all of Dou Jiande's territories, and became a formidable force that shook the world.

However, even as powerful as he was, Liu Heita had to admit that he had met his match.

Faced with Liu Heita's rise, Li Yuan had no choice but to activate his top enforcer, Prince Qin Li Shimin.

With Li Shimin's military prowess, the scales of victory gradually tipped in his favor, and Liu Heita faced immense pressure, suffering consecutive defeats. Li Shimin sent his generals Wang Junhuo and Luo Shixin to embed themselves like nails in the heart of the Haneast army's territory, the city of Ming River, to pin down the main forces. Meanwhile, he joined forces with Luo Yi to retake various counties and prefectures in Hebei, completing the encirclement of the Haneast army from the north and south.

How could Liu Heita, with his extensive battle experience, not know Li Shimin's tactics?

But knowing was one thing. Li Shimin's military strategies were always straightforward and bold, relying on open tactics that left the heroes of the land helpless. Even the formidable Wang Shichong and Dou Jiande were captured by him in a single battle.

Li Shimin was clearly planning to gradually encroach on his territory, surround the Haneast army, and ultimately strangle him to death on the land of Mingzhou.

The key to this strategy lay in the small city of Ming River. Located on the north bank of the Ming River, not far from Mingzhou City, and to the east of Mingzhou, the city was surrounded by water and had a perilous terrain. Occupying the small city of Ming River meant securing a beachhead on the north bank of the Ming River, which would facilitate future Tang army offensives and further disrupt the Haneast army's outer defenses and supply lines. It was a strategically crucial location.

Initially, upon learning that Li Shimin and Luo Yi were dividing their forces, Liu Heita planned to defeat Luo Yi first and then Li Shimin. However, Li Shimin's actions were too swift and ruthless, and he quickly captured the small city of Ming River, forcing Liu Heita to retreat and lose all his advantages.

Li Shimin had fully utilized his tactical skills, but it seemed that human plans could not match the will of heaven. His strategy was disrupted by an unexpected weather issue. The sudden heavy snow in mid-spring turned the small city of Ming River into an isolated fortress.

Liu Heita seized this opportunity, knowing that if he could capture the small city of Ming River, Li Shimin's strategy would fail. Only by removing the thorn in his side could he find a way to victory in this disadvantageous situation. He thought the heavy snow was a sign of divine assistance, but he never expected that the brave and fierce Luo Shixin would hold out with a few hundred soldiers against a force twenty times larger, enduring a relentless seven-day and seven-night siege, completely blocking his army outside the city.

Yesterday, Liu Heita received the latest intelligence: Luo Yi from the north had already joined forces with Li Shimin. If he did not capture the city of Ming River today, his situation would become even more perilous.

"Wang Xiaohu, today you will personally oversee the battle. I don't believe this small city of Ming River can't be taken," Liu Heita loudly issued the order.

A fierce and imposing warrior stepped forward. Wang Xiaohu, despite his unremarkable name and ordinary appearance, was a brave and fearless fighter. He had been the top contributor to the defeat of Luo Yi at the beginning of the year, capturing the brothers Xue Wanjun and Xue Wanche, making him the first and most formidable general of the Haneast army.

Wang Xiaohu, with his rich combat experience, quickly organized the first wave of assault troops.

The sound of war drums shook the sky.

The small city of Ming River was originally surrounded by water, but before Luo Shixin took control of the city, the Haneast army had already built two floating bridges. The assault troops, protected by wooden shields, rushed across the bridges toward the precarious city of Ming River.

When Luo Shixin saw the Haneast army was about a hundred meters away, he estimated they were within range and, suppressing his nervousness, shouted, "Fire the arrows!"

A sparse volley of arrows shot out, taking the lives of six or seven men.

Of the 86 soldiers remaining by Luo Shixin's side, all were injured, and only about 50 had the strength to draw their bows.

Bows and arrows were a powerful tool for defending the city, but the fifty or so archers could hardly inflict significant damage on the thousand or so assault troops armed with wooden shields.

After enduring the sparse volley, the thousand Haneast soldiers rushed forward.

In an instant, nearly sixty Haneast soldiers inexplicably fell to the ground, and the rest frequently lost their balance, disrupting the orderly formation of the assault troops.

Because they had to avoid the arrows, they charged at a very fast speed, neglecting the ground beneath them.

Luo Shixin had wet the ground below the city, and under the influence of the weather, a thin layer of ice formed, making it extremely slippery. The assault troops, unaware of the danger, rushed forward and inevitably slipped and fell.

As a child, Luo Shixin, being mischievous, often poured water in front of people's doors during heavy snow, and he found that it had some effect.

The Tang army, well-trained, did not need instructions. The archers took advantage of the situation and drew their bows, the bowstrings resonating.

With the disordered formation of the enemy, this round of arrows was much more powerful, felling over twenty men.

The majority of Liu Heita's Haneast army were the strong soldiers who had followed the northern hero Dou Jiande, and they were exceptionally fierce. Ignoring the deaths of their comrades and the slippery ground, they charged or rolled to the base of the city. Taking advantage of the difficulty for the defenders to expose themselves and shoot vertically downward, they raised their shields and quickly and orderly set up numerous siege ladders, beginning their ascent.