Chapter 72

Chapter 706: Han Guan vs. Nuo Shi (2)

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In the east of Han Guan, at the military camp. A strange scene unfolded at the camp where the soldiers of Xiliang and Nuo Shi's central army were stationed side by side.

"Ughhhh!"

A perfectly fine soldier suddenly started vomiting. Some soldiers were lying on the ground with furrowed brows, and all the visible soldiers had their noses and mouths covered with cloth.

Was it as if a plague had broken out?

Fortunately, that was not the case. However, the reason everyone was in this state was due to the foul smell.

The tactic of using hulchao (a type of herb) had not yet reached Nuo Shi's army. It was still only in Guo Jia's mind.

However, the foul smell here was so intense that it could not be compared to hulchao. The source of the foul smell was human feces.

And it wasn't just any feces; it had been boiled with water...

Guo Jia would not have been able to face Jin Gong. Guo Jia had only thought of using hulchao, but Jin Gong had gone as far as boiling human feces.

If the foul smell could be measured in brightness, hulchao would be like a candle under the moonlight compared to human feces.

The foul smell made Nuo Shi's head throb with pain.

He had not yet fully recovered from his injuries. The smell of boiling feces only added to his frustration.

Even a gentleman who had deeply studied Confucian classics would act like a petty person in the face of such a foul smell.

"Master Gong Dai, must you go to such lengths?"

The arrow was indeed aimed at Jin Gong. It was his strategy that had led to this bizarre situation. However, Jin Gong, who had repelled the enemy's large army with his strategy, could not be treated rudely.

If not, Nuo Shi would not have been suppressing his anger and trying to speak kindly.

In response to Nuo Shi's rhetorical question, Jin Gong remained silent. Seeing his silence, Nuo Shi began to complain.

"I once became a Middle Commander and quelled the turmoil, earning the respect of all the soldiers."

"I know. Who among the people of the thirteen provinces does not know the great name of Middle Commander Nuo?"

"I am not mentioning my past to embellish my name."

Nuo Shi said this and sighed deeply. Then, after taking a breath, he seemed to realize it was impossible and covered his nose and mouth with a cloth before continuing.

"How much longer do I have to live?"

"Don't say that. You will live a long life."

"No, I am already living on borrowed time. If I don't wake up tomorrow, I cannot blame the heavens."

Nuo Shi was a hero. His life's journey was one that future generations could look upon in the Records of the Grand Historian without a hint of shame.

But that was only up to now. The future was uncertain.

"I know better than anyone how important it is to defend Han Guan. But do you really think that boiling feces will drive the enemy away with its foul smell?"

Nuo Shi found it absurd. He had never imagined he would say such a thing.

"The foul smell cannot drive the enemy away."

"Then stop it now. Pour it out beyond the gate."

"That's not possible."

"What? Are you defying my order as the commander? Master Gong Dai, I am speaking kindly out of respect for your wisdom. Why do you not understand my heart?"

* * *

When Nuo Shi became angry, Jin Gong hurriedly clasped his hands together.

"This is my strategy."

Jin Gong paused for a moment before suddenly asking.

"Commander, do you know what the most potent poison is?"

"The most potent poison is undoubtedly zhimu. I've heard that no one can survive after consuming it."

"Zhimu is indeed potent and has no antidote. However, it is extremely difficult to obtain. How many people die from zhimu each year?"

Nuo Shi nodded.

No poison can match zhimu in potency. However, it is extremely difficult to obtain. That's why, unless you are a member of the imperial family or a royal relative, you are not allowed to use zhimu.

"I once heard from General Yu that there is a highly toxic poison called 'oufei.' It is less potent than zhimu, but in terms of causing painful death, no poison can match oufei."

Nuo Shi mentioned oufei, which had tormented Guo Jia and Xun Cai. However, he soon became curious about why Jin Gong brought up this topic.

"Why are you talking about poisons? If you are trying to divert my attention to make me forget this matter, it won't work until a strong wind blows away this foul smell."

"Commander, I mentioned poison because the poison I am preparing is the most potent of all."

Nuo Shi frowned and tilted his head.

"The most potent of all? I don't even know if such a thing exists, let alone why it is necessary."

"The most potent poison I am thinking of is fecal poison."

"Uh?"

Nuo Shi thought Jin Gong was talking nonsense. However, Jin Gong was not the type to speak without reason.

"I call it the most potent poison for two reasons."

Jin Gong showed his thumb and index finger. Then, he folded his index finger and continued.

"I noticed the toxicity of human feces."

Jin Gong had barely opened his mouth, but Nuo Shi suddenly slapped his knee.

"That's right! It is indeed highly toxic. I remember. When I was young, a child in the neighborhood scratched his body after coming into contact with fecal poison and eventually died."

"The toxicity of fecal poison causes pain as if you were burned. It also causes itching and swelling."

"You know this well?"

"I have experienced it. That's why I know. However, what I noticed more was the inflammation. When fecal poison reacts with even a small wound, it causes severe pus. There is nothing better than fecal poison for turning a minor injury into a major one."

Jin Gong excitedly folded his thumb and continued.

"The second reason is that it is easily obtainable. Defecation is a natural process. Even the most noble and respected person cannot avoid using the toilet, can they?"

"Hehehe! It's amazing. You plan to collect the feces of ten thousand soldiers over several days and pour it? Indeed, Master Gong Dai's strategies are always unexpected."

"Watch what the feces on the arrowheads and the blades of the city walls will do."

"It might be our last battle, and we will win with such a dirty tactic."

Nuo Shi felt a strange sensation. However, after hearing everything, how could he stop Jin Gong's strategy?

If he had proposed a strategy to drive the enemy away with the foul smell, he would have stopped it. But with a guaranteed victory, even a dirty tactic was not something to hesitate over.

Ultimately, winning is the priority. Honor is not more valuable than victory. A victory obtained through feces is no different from any other victory.

"I look forward to it. Hahaaa! It will be interesting to see Huang Bochong's face..."

Nuo Shi chuckled, imagining something, and nodded at Jin Gong.

"Master Gong Dai, I am going to check the defenses on the eastern side. Would you like to come with me?"

"Of course."

* * *

Jin Gong followed Nuo Shi to inspect the eastern defenses of Han Guan.

Of course, they passed through the military camp. The foul smell from the feces had significantly decreased. The wind was not blowing, and the collected feces were stored in jars and lifted to the top of the wall.

For the eastern defenses, Nuo Shi's central army and Duan Wei's Xiliang soldiers chose to build a wooden palisade.

Building a palisade in front of the high walls of Han Guan might seem foolish, but there was a reason for it.

"Do you not like my idea of using a wooden palisade to block the enemy on the eastern side?"

"How could I not like it? If we had more time, we would have built a fort."

"I am glad you understand my intentions. In fact, it is true that if the gate is attacked from both sides, it is one of the most difficult situations."

Most cities have an outer wall surrounding an inner wall, but mountain passes and gates cannot have such a structure. Therefore, it is difficult to effectively block enemies coming from all directions.

This gate of Han Guan, with its rugged mountains on the side, relies solely on a linear wall to block the enemy. If attacked from both the west and the east, the defenders on the wall would easily become disoriented.

"How many troops do you plan to deploy here?"

"About five thousand at most. As you know, we do not have the resources now."

"How could I not know? Many soldiers have died or been injured over a long period. The lack of available troops is a natural result."

"Ugh..."

Nuo Shi let out a sigh. Many casualties had occurred in defending Han Guan, and Nuo Shi felt heavy-hearted, thinking it was all his fault.

Jin Gong, guessing Nuo Shi's feelings, comforted him.

"Isn't it a miracle that we have held out so far? If it weren't for you, Commander, we would have..."

"If I had been a bit more skilled, we could have reduced the casualties."

Nuo Shi quickly shook off his heavy heart.

"But there's no need to worry too much. General Yu's reinforcements are on their way. We only need to hold out on the eastern side until they arrive. That's enough."

Hearing N