Chapter 47

Around the time of Shen (3 PM), the troops finally completed their rest and reorganization, and the soldiers, brimming with vigor, advanced directly toward the Guo family fortress.

In the winter, it gets dark early, and with the influence of the harsh weather, it was already difficult to see clearly from inside the fortress. The people inside the fortress had not anticipated that an army would silently approach so closely. They seemed quite flustered. Shouts, cries, and the sound of running footsteps could be clearly heard outside the fortress.

According to the "Shuowen Jiezi," a fortress (坞, wu) is a small defensive structure, also known as a low city. It means that a fortress is a small defensive city. For example, the powerful minister Dong Zhuo of the Former Han Dynasty built the Mei Fortress in Guanzhong, which was seven zhang high and thick, and was called the "Wansui Fortress." The Guo family fortress in the south of Jinyang was not small. It was square in shape, constructed with rammed earth, and some key areas were reinforced with stone. The four corners of the fortress walls were equipped with tall watchtowers, and the houses inside the fortress were densely arranged, layer upon layer. Based on its size, it could easily accommodate over a thousand people.

These fortress owners relied on their manpower to repair the gates and set up defenses every March during the agricultural off-season to guard against spring famine and bandits; in September, they would repair weapons and practice archery to prepare for the harsh winter and bandits. In politics, economics, and military affairs, they possessed considerable strength. Due to its remote location, this fortress had avoided several military disasters, and as a result, nearly 40% of the households in Jingling County were under its protection, making the fortress even more powerful. At this moment, no fewer than 300 people were urgently mobilized to defend the walls.

This was because Lu Yao's troops had advanced through the snow, completely catching the fortress owner off guard. Otherwise, if they had fully mobilized their troops and sought help from nearby powerful families, they could have gathered a force of over a thousand people.

Lu Yao ordered his subordinates to form an array about a hundred paces from the main gate of the fortress in an open area, and then commanded Chu Kun to go and negotiate. Chu Kun, young and full of spirit, had a loud voice, making him suitable for this task. He strode to the main gate with a large "Lu" flag and shouted loudly, "Who is in charge in the fortress? Come out and answer!"

There was a commotion behind the gate, and after a while, an old man appeared on the battlements. The old man had a clear and sharp face, but his drooping eyebrows marred his appearance. He raised his voice and replied, "I am Guo Rong, the local elder and head of the Guo family. Who are the troops outside the gate?"

"I am General Lu, a subordinate of the Guangwu Marquis, the Protector of the Xiongnu, and the Governor of Bingzhou, Liu, leading troops to campaign against the Xiongnu! Why don't you open the gate to welcome us?" Chu Kun responded.

Although Guo Rong had already made several guesses about the troops, he was still surprised when he heard Chu Kun's name.

Is this General Lu the one stationed at Fenyang Pavilion, who repeatedly summoned the powerful families but was ignored? A few days ago, this man led several hundred troops to Fenyang, sending messengers to summon the powerful families. However, none of the powerful families took him seriously and deliberately ignored him, hoping to force him to leave in humiliation. They planned to wait for a more prestigious official from Jinyang to be sent, and then they could negotiate from a position of strength.

Guo Rong never imagined that Lu Yao would be so impolite as to bring his troops to the door. It was infuriating that the two family servants he sent to Fenyang Pavilion to gather information had not done their job properly and had not detected any signs... Afterward, he would have to whip each of them thirty to fifty times to teach them a lesson!

As for the current situation... well, well! These soldiers are always crude and ignorant of etiquette. If we ignore them, who knows what chaos they might cause. Today, we will deal with the situation and keep them outside the fortress, and then we will think of a way to handle it.

After making up his mind, Guo Rong shouted, "So it's General Lu! I have long admired General Lu's reputation, and the local people have suffered from the Xiongnu, relying on your divine might for protection. Now that the imperial army has arrived, we are all overjoyed! Please wait a moment, we are willing to offer 100 hu of grain, 10 sheep, and 2 oxen as military supplies to ease the hardships of the imperial army's march! Where will your troops be stationed? The supplies will be delivered immediately, and more wealth will follow shortly!"

Guo Rong's response was quite appropriate. He did not mention the previous refusal to respond to Lu Yao's summons, and his words were extremely humble and polite, showing no disrespect to the imperial army despite being a local powerful family. He even offered oxen and wine as a gesture of goodwill, lowering his stance significantly. His main goal was to prevent the imperial army from entering the fortress.

In recent years, the military discipline of the imperial army had deteriorated, and they often caused trouble wherever they went. Local people often offered supplies to keep the imperial army from camping nearby, which was a common practice. Unfortunately, Lu Yao's expedition was not for the sake of those supplies. While Chu Kun and Guo Rong were negotiating, Lu Yao waved to Shen Jin and gave him some instructions in a low voice. Shen Jin nodded and left.

After a few exchanges, Chu Kun, hearing Guo Rong's repeated evasions, became angry and shouted, "Old man Guo Rong, my general invited you to Fenyang Pavilion, but you were suspicious and did not come. Now my general has come to visit you personally, will you let him camp in the wild? Open the gate quickly and let us enter the fortress to rest!"

Guo Rong's face showed panic, and he repeatedly said, "Messenger, don't be hasty!" He then retreated behind the wall, seemingly consulting with someone. After a moment, he reappeared and said, "This is a major matter and cannot be taken lightly! Please inform your commander to allow our clan elders to deliberate!"

The soldier, having been instructed, was not willing to argue and shouted, "Old man, you dare to resist the imperial army! Just wait, once we break through the fortress, your head will be displayed as a warning!" With that, he turned and walked away.

Guo Rong was greatly alarmed and called out, "Messenger! Messenger, wait!" Before he could finish, a strong wind blew, and a finger-thick iron arrow shot from the dusk outside the fortress, aiming straight for his chest!

Guo Rong had no time to react, and before he could even cry out, there was a "clang" and sparks flew. It turned out that a large, muscular man standing guard beside him had timely drawn his sword to block the arrow. The arrow, coming with great force, did not slow down after being deflected, but only changed direction slightly, grazing Guo Rong's shoulder. The large man stood with his sword, angrily shouting, "Shameless scoundrel!"

At that moment, no one responded to him, and more arrows whistled through the air.

At the main gate of the fortress, Shen Jin spat, seemingly dissatisfied with his archery skills, and then grinned, fitting another feathered arrow to his iron bow. Dozens of archers and crossbowmen on his side, armed with powerful bows and crossbows, fired continuously, shooting down the defenders on the wall one by one.

Lu Yao, standing at the front of the formation, raised his sword and pointed forward, "Soldiers, advance!" Many soldiers, already holding their swords and eager to fight, roared like thunder and charged forward.

The defenders on the wall were prepared, and although many were initially caught off guard and shot down, the rest quickly reacted. They hid behind the battlements and fired their bows and arrows at the advancing soldiers, turning several of the bravest into pincushions.

If it were an ordinary unit, such a gruesome sight would have made many hesitate and slow down. But Lu Yao's troops were mainly composed of battle-hardened remnants of the Bingzhou army, and they were unaffected, continuing to charge forward. Even those hit by arrows, as long as it was not a vital spot, pressed on without hesitation.

When the soldiers reached the main gate of the fortress, bricks and logs rained down like a storm, making it almost impossible for them to raise their heads. They braved the threat from above and repeatedly rammed the main gate, which was made of half-foot-thick pine planks and secured with three heavy bolts, making it impossible to push open.

Just as they were at a loss, they heard Xue Tong shout, "Retreat! Retreat!" The soldiers immediately withdrew.

The main force of the Jin army also gradually moved back, slowly retreating to a forest behind the fortress.

After a while, they heard Chu Kun shouting, "You Guo family fortress! You old man Guo Rong! How dare you harm our men! Just wait, once we break into the fortress, you'll see what happens!"

Although his voice was loud, the sight of the Jin army retreating made it sound somewhat hollow. The defenders on the wall burst into laughter.

Guo Rong, not daring to be careless, asked the large, muscular man holding a sword beside him, "Sir Feng, what do you think of the situation?"

This Feng, originally a brave warrior in the imperial army, had been hired by Guo Rong with a large sum of money after the defeat, and was treated with great respect, not considered a mere subordinate. In the current situation, Guo Rong relied on his understanding of the imperial army.

Feng, gazing at the gradually retreating Jin army, said with some emotion, "In recent years, the combat capability of the imperial army has weakened. This unit, when they charged, showed some strength, but they retreated at the first setback. They are not much."

Guo Rong's face showed joy, "Sir Feng, do you mean they will retreat?"

Feng shook his head, "Clan Chief, they have advanced to Tuomu Ridge under such harsh weather conditions, which must be for a significant purpose. They will not retreat so easily. They will regroup and attack again soon..."

Guo Rong's expression changed, and Feng continued, "Clan Chief, don't worry. Fenyang Pavilion is nearly a hundred miles from Tuomu Ridge, and the roads are difficult to travel in the snow. They must be exhausted from the journey. Moreover, it is already late. I estimate they will attack one or two more times and then retreat. By tomorrow, the Guo family's brave men will gather, and nearby powerful families will send reinforcements, giving us a clear advantage."

"Good!" Guo Rong was delighted and raised his arm, shouting, "Men! The imperial army is no match for the brave men of the Guo family! Everyone, put in more effort, and we will drive them back, and everyone will be rewarded!"

The defenders on the wall responded in unison, their morale soaring.

After a while, the Jin army indeed attacked again. This time, they carried several long ladders, clearly made from cutting down trees. The Guo family's defenders responded with arrows, rolling logs, and stones, knocking down many soldiers.

More soldiers rushed forward and set up the ladders against the wall. Several soldiers, wearing double armor, led the charge, attempting to climb the ladders and leap onto the wall. One of them, named Zhang Huan, a famous warrior under Xue Tong, stood at the top of the ladder, wielding two 30-pound heavy swords, cutting down the defenders. The defenders, unable to hold back, retreated. Just as the next wave of soldiers was about to follow, a loud shout was heard, and the muscular man who had blocked Shen Jin's arrow earlier leaped forward. After a few exchanges, the man found an opening and kicked Zhang Huan off the wall, leaving him half-dead. The other ladders were also pushed over, and the few brave men who had climbed the wall were killed by the overwhelming number of defenders.

These fortresses, operated by a single family for generations, were well-stocked with rolling logs and stones, maintaining strong defensive capabilities even in sudden attacks.

Seeing the imperial army's second attack fail, the defenders on the wall burst into laughter.

At that moment, He Yun, standing beside Lu Yao, drew an arrow wrapped in oilcloth, lit it on a torch, and shot it into the sky.

As the rocket ascended, a deafening battle cry suddenly erupted from the rear of the fortress.

It turned out that Shen Jin and others had feigned a strong attack at the main gate to draw the attention of the Guo family. Before the main force reached the main gate, Gao Xiang had led over a hundred soldiers, carrying ladders, to quietly approach the rear wall of the fortress. They waited for the rocket signal to suddenly attack the fortress.

The main force of the imperial army, concentrated at the front of the fortress, continued to attack the main gate, gradually drawing the defenders to this direction.

At this moment, the rear wall and other areas were weakly defended, with only about thirty to fifty people. Gao Xiang, wearing heavy armor and holding a long sword, led the charge onto the wall, quickly dispersing the defenders. He then led the soldiers into the fortress, setting fires along the way.

******

Surprisingly, the book has made it to the top of the new book chart, which is incredibly exciting. I am deeply grateful to all the readers for their support. I can only repay you by writing to the best of my ability.

I continue to seek clicks, red tickets, and collections.

Additionally, I thank Lord Ni for his generous support.

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