Chapter 76

When Lu Yao launched two surprise attacks on the enemy with a small force, Jieyou City entered its fourth day of being besieged.

The person responsible for the siege of Jieyou City was the Great General of Conquering the Barbarians, Huyan Yan. This title of Great General of Conquering the Barbarians was indeed somewhat peculiar, as the Huns were commonly referred to as the "barbarians." Thus, the title seemed to imply that they were conquering themselves.

Huyan Yan was the youngest brother of Empress Liu Yuan's wife, and he was 34 years old, holding a very high position in the Han Kingdom's court. Whenever Liu Yuan went to war, Huyan Yan was often appointed as the deputy commander of the entire army. Although he was not a fierce general who personally wielded a sword, he excelled in his calm and steady character and his experienced military strategy. On the day the Hun army crossed the Que Shu Valley, he led a force of about 20,000 troops to surround Jieyou City on all sides.

On the first day, the Huns used countless carts to carry earth, attempting to fill the moat. Although the Jieyou defenders were positioned higher and rained arrows like locusts, the Hun soldiers were fearless and continued to pour earth and stones into the moat. Sometimes, the front-line cart-pushers were injured by arrows and moved slowly. The rear-line soldiers would then push the front-line soldiers and their carts into the moat without hesitation.

Despite his extensive battle experience, Lu Chang had never encountered such a fearless army. Seeing the situation turn dire, he repeatedly sent elite forces to harass the Huns' efforts to fill the moat from hidden positions. However, Huyan Yan was well-prepared and ordered the valiant general Liu Tong to lead 3,000 elite cavalry to patrol around the city. Whenever they encountered Jin troops, they immediately captured and killed them. Lu Chang suffered several losses and could only watch as the Huns filled the moat. By sunset, the moat around Jieyou City was completely filled.

From the second day onward, the Huns launched a large-scale attack on the city. The terrain outside Jieyou City was complex, with the southwest side guarding the Que Shu Valley, the southeast side being the Mian Mountains, and the north side being a vast swamp. Only the west side was open and suitable for military operations. The Huns concentrated their main attack on the western wall, while the eastern side served as a support.

The western wall was attacked by the forces of the Great General of Martial Teeth, Liu Qin. Liu Qin, clad in heavy armor, personally led the front lines, and all the soldiers fought bravely. For a time, ladders stood like a forest, and thousands of Hun warriors, shouting deafeningly, climbed the walls. Hundreds of others pushed crude battering rams to strike the city gates, with thousands more ready to charge in once the gates were breached.

Despite its small size, Jieyou City was extremely sturdy. After Lu Chang took charge of the city's defense, he made significant improvements to the fortifications, preparing a wide array of defensive equipment. The defenders used long poles to push the ladders down. When the Huns tried to re-erect the ladders, the defenders pelted them with rolling logs and stones. The defenders at the city gates poured boiling oil and dry wood, then threw torches, burning all the battering rams and many of the soldiers pushing them.

The battle raged for half a day, with the initiative changing hands several times. Ultimately, the overwhelming number of Huns forced a breach in the city's defenses, and dozens of soldiers successfully climbed the walls. These soldiers were selected from the 20,000-strong Hun army for their exceptional martial skills and ferocity. Once they reached the top of the wall, they began to slaughter and protect the follow-up forces.

The Jin soldiers near the battlements suffered heavy casualties. Only a squad leader and a few soldiers remained, surrounded by over a dozen Huns. In a moment, the few soldiers were cut down. The squad leader, though agile, could only hold out for a short while. He was struck in the abdomen by a sword, and his intestines spilled out. With a grim smile, he leaped forward, grabbing a Hun soldier and falling off the wall. The Hun soldier screamed, and a dull thud followed.

The officer responsible for defending this section of the wall was named Jin Chong. The surname Jin was rare, and according to Jin Chong, it originated from the Ji surname, descending from the Western Zhou period's Doctor Jin Bao, making it one of the most noble lineages in the world. Some believed this, partly because Jin Chong had a fine appearance, with fair skin and a handsome face, resembling a nobleman.

However, this was not entirely true. Although the Jin surname was ancient, Jin Chong's lineage had not produced any notable figures. For generations, they were farmers, living off a few acres of poor land. A few years ago, his hometown was plundered by marauding soldiers, turning it into ruins. He was forcibly conscripted into the army and fought in various battles, earning his position as an officer through countless battles.

Seeing the city's defenses breached, Jin Chong hurried to the rescue. Just as he reached the battlements, a group of Hun warriors, led by a man wielding a heavy mace, charged forward, smashing the Jin soldiers to the ground. Jin Chong's weapon was already broken, and he now held a pair of a sword and a shield. Seeing the enemy's ferocity, he raised his left hand to block the mace. With a loud clang, the mace's force was deflected, and it flew off to the side, leaving the Hun warrior's chest exposed. Jin Chong sneered and thrust his short sword, aiming to end the Hun's life. In a flash, the Hun warrior only managed to block with his hand, which was immediately pierced through.

This only seemed to enrage the Hun warrior, who, with a howl like a wolf, grabbed Jin Chong's hand and the sword, pulling him off balance. The Hun then kicked Jin Chong in the abdomen, causing him to collapse, blood gushing from his mouth. The Hun followed up with another kick, sending Jin Chong flying several yards away.

The officer leading the rescue was quickly killed, and the Jin soldiers' formation wavered. The Hun warriors charged forward, engaging the Jin soldiers in close combat. Over a hundred men fought on the narrow battlements, swords clashing, and blood splattering. The Huns below cheered, encouraging their comrades to fight harder.

The Great General of Tiger Teeth, Liu Qin, personally led the charge, drumming to boost morale and sending all his elite guards to the front lines. The drumming continued, and dozens of ladders were set up along the wall, with countless warriors climbing up. Jieyou City was in grave danger!

Just as the situation became critical, another group of Jin soldiers arrived to reinforce. Leading them was the city's commander, Lu Chang. As a general, he was different from others. He was surrounded by a dozen soldiers, not wielding weapons but holding large shields to protect him. Lu Chang advanced, with two quivers at his waist and a large bow in his hand. Seeing the enemy not far away, he shouted, "Watch the arrows!"

He drew his bow like a full moon, and the arrows flew like meteors. One after another, the arrows shot through the air, forming a silver line. The leading Hun warrior, who was bandaging his hand, was struck in the mouth by an arrow, which pierced through to the back of his neck. He thrashed and fell backward.

The Huns in the front lines fared no better. After Lu Chang's first arrow felled the leading warrior, his second arrow struck a soldier's forehead, the third pinned a soldier to the battlements, and the fourth pierced a soldier's left eye, exiting the back of his head. Four arrows, four Huns, all fell. The other Huns, realizing the danger, shouted and charged at Lu Chang.

Lu Chang stood firm, not retreating a step. Any Hun who approached him was struck by an arrow, falling to the ground. In a short time, all the leading Huns were killed, and the Hun army's morale plummeted.

The immediate danger was averted, but Lu Chang did not rest. He stood on the battlements, protected by his shield-bearers, and began to pick off the Hun officers below. Each arrow he fired resulted in a Hun officer's death.

The Huns were not without skilled archers, and several immediately returned fire. However, their arrows, shot from below, lacked the range of Lu Chang's powerful bow, and their accuracy was inferior. Moreover, the shield-bearers effectively protected him. Thus, nearly a thousand attackers were suppressed by Lu Chang alone. The Huns suffered heavy casualties among their officers, and the entire force fell into disarray. The soldiers, unsure of what to do, began to retreat in waves.

The Jin soldiers finished off the wounded Huns on the battlements and threw their bodies off the wall. Each time a body was thrown, a cheer erupted from the city.

The cheers had not yet died down when the horns sounded again, and another wave of Huns charged forward. Huyan Yan clearly intended to wear down the defenders with continuous attacks, disregarding the losses and urging his troops to repeatedly assault the walls.

The intense battle continued for two full days, even through the night. Over twenty waves of attackers were repelled, leaving the city and its surroundings littered with bodies.

The Huns used a method of climbing the walls en masse, which, though crude, created a formidable psychological pressure on the defenders. In the past, they often captured cities in a single assault. However, this time, their fierce attacks failed to take Jieyou, leaving the Huns disheartened. On the fourth day, in addition to continuing their attacks, they began to dig trenches and build fortifications around the city, seemingly preparing for a long siege.

The Huns rarely used such tactics, preferring rapid and fierce attacks or long-range raids. However, due to the importance of Jieyou, Huyan Yan decided to adopt this more labor-intensive but effective siege method.

From a distance, Lu Chang observed the Huns' construction efforts. He had not slept for several days, his eyes sunken, but his spirit remained high as he patrolled the battlements.

Several of his personal guards followed closely behind, occasionally exchanging worried glances. During the past few days of intense fighting, Lu Chang had to command the city's defense and personally lead rescue efforts, resulting in significant physical strain. He often coughed violently in secluded areas and his breathing became increasingly labored.

On the other hand, to repel the enemy, Lu Chang had been running around the city for two days, firing countless arrows. He had broken four bows, each capable of drawing over 120 pounds. His hands were bruised, and his fingers were almost deformed. If the enemy continued to launch strong attacks, no one knew how long this skilled archer could hold out.

Lu Chang carefully hid his hands under his sleeves to avoid detection. In front of his men, he always appeared strong and energetic, walking along the wall, encouraging the soldiers, and boosting their morale. Despite the intense battle, the soldiers' morale remained high, which pleased Lu Chang. A general's character shaped his troops. These soldiers were veterans who had followed Lu Chang for years, known for their resilience and strength, making them ideal for defending the city.

Jieyou's magistrate, Lang Shuo, was also busy. He organized the city's residents, demolishing many buildings to transport wood and stones to the walls. In the open spaces left by the demolished buildings, hundreds of selected able-bodied men were being trained by several officers, who were struggling to teach them basic combat skills. These civilians lacked basic fighting skills and courage, and Lu Chang had originally planned not to use them. However, the situation was now uncertain.

Although the Jin army had killed countless enemies, they also suffered significant losses. Several hundred-man commanders were killed, leaving many sections of the wall without responsible officers, requiring a reorganization of the defense. After walking around the city, Lu Chang found a place to sit and called his subordinates to assign tasks.

On the battlements, the soldiers were making loud noises, mocking and insulting the Huns who were building fortifications in the distance.

Amid the noise, a subordinate expressed concern: "General, the Huns are building walls and fortifications, indicating their intention to besiege the city for a long time. Do you know if the lord has sent reinforcements? When will they arrive?"

Lu Chang looked at the distant mountains and said, "The Huns excel in open battles, but besieging cities and building fortifications are their weaknesses. Even if they encircle the city for miles, we have nothing to fear. Moreover, with a strong army and a fortified city, we can crush the enemy's morale and make the Huns dare not look us in the eye. This is the time for us, as brave men, to achieve great deeds. As for reinforcements..."

Lu Chang placed his hand on the battlements, full of confidence: "There is no need to worry. The lord will have a plan."

******

Thank you all for your encouragement and support! I especially want to thank Qin Shiguan for his guidance! I will work hard to live up to your expectations.

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