Weird Three Kingdoms

Chapter 3727 Without hunting or trapping, Hu Zhan'er's court has a county badger.
The cannons roared, gradually pounding down on Gongxian County.

Cao Hong stood in a thick, hidden troop cave behind the West Gate city wall, his back ramrod straight. He should have looked imposing, but the dust falling from above due to the tremors made him look somewhat disheveled.

His face was ashen, his jaw clenched, and the muscles in his cheeks bulged and rolled. Every time a distant roar came, Cao Hong's cheeks twitched.

Although the hidden troop cave was safe, with no problems except for the occasional dust falling and good air circulation, Cao Hong still felt as if he were being squeezed by an invisible hand, tightening little by little, with a suffocating feeling of blood stagnation.

The roar of the cannons was deep and penetrating, like a heavy hammer striking a drum covered with wet cowhide.

Either the skin is torn or the drum is cracked.

With each distant boom, the rammed earth beneath our feet trembled.

It's like something is about to pop out from underground.

Then, fine dust would fall from the vaulted ceiling above the hidden bunker, pattering onto the cold iron armor and helmets, seeping into the collars, carrying a pungent smell of earth and lime.

Between the rough cracks in the cave walls, tiny pebbles also jumped restlessly...

Sometimes Cao Hong couldn't help but look back into the cave behind him, as if the next shot might break through the rammed earth of this hidden troop cave and penetrate through!
When attacking the earthen ramparts, there were originally four cannons, but now there are twelve!

Doubling the artillery fire brought a denser barrage of shells, and also doubled the pressure.

Cao Hong could even feel the organs in his chest trembling along with the dull rhythm.

It was as if those cannonballs weren't hitting the city walls, nor the corner towers and gate towers above his head, but directly striking his heart, hammer blow after hammer blow, slowly crushing his pride, his strategies, and his authority as a general into a cold swamp, slowly drowning him...

"Report—!" A messenger, covered in dust, tumbled and crawled into the cave, his voice hoarse and distorted, "The corner tower was hit by a bullet! It's completely destroyed! Half of it collapsed, and the brothers... are all buried inside!"

"Report—! The arrow tower is gone too! A thunderbolt... struck the roof of the arrow tower... the whole, the whole thing exploded! The brothers on duty... the casualties... are heavy, General!" Another messenger almost cried out and fell to the ground.

"Report—!" Before the third messenger even arrived, a trembling voice filled with despair rushed in, echoing through the hidden bunker. "The cavalry's shield-bearing formation has advanced to within 150 paces of the moat! Their infantry are filling the outer moat! We...we can't fight back. Once they see our archers...they, they'll open fire!"

The bad news came like a flood bursting its banks, so dense it was suffocating...

Each word "report" felt like a cold needle, piercing Cao Hong's taut nerves.

He forced himself to take a deep breath, but the acrid smell of dust, blood, and burning sulfur saltpeter inside the cave was like inhaling razor blades.

General Fei Qian of the Flying Cavalry...

What a powerful method!
As Cao Hong pondered the name, hatred grew wildly in his heart like a poisonous vine.

The cavalry's method of attack was completely different from what he had envisioned, or rather, from the war model that he was familiar with and that this ancient land had upheld as the standard for hundreds of years!

What about ants swarming and climbing, flesh and blood fighting, generals outwitting each other, and soldiers outfighting each other...

Not at all!

Thunderclap cannons boom, boom, boom! When the time is right, charge!

It has absolutely no technical content!

Cao Hong hated this method the most!

what is this?
First, use those monsters that spew thunder and fire to easily wipe out his painstakingly constructed outer fortifications and watchtowers from hundreds of steps away, just like a naughty child destroying a sandcastle!

Compress his space, crush his morale, and then...

Then comes that chilling "one-step to the stomach"!
This brutal, unreasonable, yet despair-inducing offensive strategy left Cao Hong and his soldiers, who were accustomed to archery and sword fighting, feeling unprecedented frustration, fear, and deep unease.

The nightmare of Hedong once again churned in Cao Hong's mind.

The same thunderous roar, the same overwhelming speed of advance!

In Hedong, they were caught off guard and suffered a crushing defeat. Now, having arrived in Gongxian, they thought they could turn the tide by relying on the fortified city, but what has happened?

Aside from holding out at the earthen rampart for a few more days...

That's because the Flying Cavalry didn't fight seriously at all!

The Great Han Dynasty in Shandong, this massive imperial shell, had been operating according to its established pattern for three or four hundred years.

It's like a giant ship that's been soaking in a rotten swamp for too long, and is now beyond repair.

The hull was riddled with insects, the ropes were rotten, and the canvas was full of holes.

The ship's helmsmen, those high-ranking officials from Yingchuan and Qiaopei, were not unaware that the course was wrong, but every attempt to turn the heavy rudder involved countless intertwined interests, deep-rooted inertia, and rigid thinking.

Want to change course? Easier said than done!
It could only slowly sink in the swamp, watching helplessly as Fei Qian's small, technologically advanced, agile yet deadly boat circled around it, spewing destructive flames.

Corner towers, watchtowers, city gate towers...

The eyes and teeth of these city defenses, under the bombardment of the thunderous cannons, shattered and collapsed like paper toys.

Gongxian seemed to have become a giant whose eyes had been blinded and whose teeth had been knocked out. Although it could still stand up with its huge body, its vision was severely compressed and its senses became dulled.

Even if the cannonballs did not directly hit important targets such as corner towers and watchtowers, they would still slam into the thick city walls, leaving hideous dents and spiderweb-like cracks, or they would graz the crenellations, shattering the rammed earth edges and sending shards of stone flying like raindrops, injuring soldiers who could not dodge in time.

Some shells, with a sharp whistling sound, flew over the city walls and crashed into the city.

An area in the western part of the city, near the city wall, was hit by multiple shells, causing houses to collapse and be damaged...

This immense sense of defeat—being forced to cower and take the beating without any chance to retaliate—was eroding the morale of Cao Cao's army. Under this one-sided onslaught, their morale seemed to crumble at a visible pace.

"Send the order!" Cao Hong's voice echoed in the narrow troop shelter. "All guards in the arrow towers and corner towers, from this moment forward, leave only the flag bearers and a squad of elite soldiers! The rest of you, immediately take cover in the troop shelters and passageways! Ballistae and catapults, all retreat to the inner side of the city wall! They must not be exposed! Anyone who disobeys will be punished according to military law!"

Since Fei Qian wants to use artillery to eliminate his long-range firepower and eyes, then he should hide them first!

Those brick, stone, and wood defensive points are no match for cannon fire, so let's just abandon them as the main strongholds, retain only a minimum number of observation posts, and withdraw the main force to the relatively safe back of the city walls or into sturdy fortifications.

As for catapults and ballistae...

A hint of helplessness flashed in Cao Hong's eyes.

These bulky machines are inherently inaccurate...

Exposing ourselves now would only make us easy targets for enemy artillery.

We must wait until the cavalry's artillery positions advance further, to the edge of the effective firing range of our "precious gems," and then concentrate our firepower to catch them off guard!
perhaps……

Perhaps there's still a sliver of hope?
Otherwise, how effective would those heavy crossbow bolts be against the large rattan shields that moved around the cavalry's cannons?
And the landing point of the catapult...

Cao Hong closed his eyes in anguish.

Hide it well, hide it first!

These are all hopes for future counterattacks, and we cannot let them be wasted under the enemy's guns.

The messenger responded and turned to rush out.

"Come back!" Cao Hong's roar was like a thunderclap, causing the messenger to stumble. "And another thing! Send an order to all units! Wherever the enemy bombards, the defending soldiers are strictly forbidden from panicking and running around on the city walls during bombardment! Anyone who disobeys—will be executed immediately!"

The panic and agitation of the soldiers was a more terrifying source of disaster than the artillery itself!

In Hedong, Cao Hong witnessed firsthand how a cannonball, though not directly hitting a soldier, caused a group of new recruits to completely break down, screaming and fleeing in panic. In the chaos, someone knocked over a brazier, igniting the piled hay and firewood, instantly causing a massive fire that killed and injured more people than the cannonball itself directly caused!
The messenger's face turned pale. He responded heavily again, then stared wide-eyed at Cao Hong, as if to confirm if there were any other orders.

"What are you all standing there for?!" Cao Hong's pent-up anger finally found an outlet. Veins bulged on his forehead as he kicked the earthen wall beside him, sending more dust flying. "What the hell are you standing there for! Go and relay the orders! If you delay military operations, I'll chop you up first!"

"Yes, yes! I'll go right away! I'll go right away!" The messenger was so frightened that he ran away with his head in his hands, as if a vengeful ghost was chasing him.

Cao Hong stared intently at the disheveled figure disappearing into the halo of light at the cave entrance, his chest heaving violently. But after a moment, his overwhelming rage deflated like a punctured husk, leaving only deep exhaustion and a near-numb helplessness.

He sighed heavily, the sound particularly somber in the dusty cave.

……

……

The night was like a huge fig leaf, covering the scarred town of Gongxian.

In the darkness, no matter how ugly or broken something is, it all becomes blurry.

The false peace and tranquility of the past have long been torn to shreds. The night now is a breeding ground for fear to grow silently, a swamp where despair spreads quietly.

On the city wall, tattered flags fluttered helplessly in the night wind, emitting a sound that seemed like a sob.

The ruins of the collapsed corner towers and arrow towers cast twisted and grotesque shadows under the pale moonlight.

Broken bricks and shattered pieces of crenellations are scattered haphazardly on the cold city wall walkways, threatening to trip you if you're not careful.

Cao Hong silently patrolled the city without uttering a word.

Cao Hong walked to a relatively intact battlement, looked into the distance, and gazed beyond the open area outside the city towards the distant, dotted-up lights of the Flying Cavalry camp.

That place was once the first strong barrier surrounding Gongxian County, on which he had placed high hopes...

The night wind whipped at Cao Hong's face, making him feel a somewhat surreal pain.

Once upon a time, he was full of ambition.

He thought that with the depth and strength of the earthen ramparts, he could at least hold off the cavalry for a month!

We must wear down their morale and thwart their advance. Then, we can retreat in an orderly fashion to the fortified city of Gongxian, relying on its high walls and deep moats to hold out for at least another three months!
This pinned Fei Qian's main force down in this area, depleting their precious food and supplies and wearing down their military strength.

Finally, when the strategist was exhausted, he retreated to the natural barrier of Sishui and looked for a golden opportunity for a thunderous counterattack!

Half a year!

Cao Hong was originally very confident that he could keep Fei Qian here for more than half a year!
To buy the Prime Minister crucial time and space!
But now...

The cold reality was like a bucket of ice water, extinguishing all his unrealistic fantasies.

Earthen rampart?

Yes, the earthen rampart held onto the "excess" time...

But that's because the Flying Cavalry didn't really fight!

They were just testing the waters, adjusting, like a predator patiently pacing around its prey.

Once they truly bare their fangs and unleash their chilling tactics...

Cao Hong's heart clenched.

The nightmare of Hedong, the fear dominated by thunder and fire, the despair of a crushing defeat, swept in once again with such ferocity, descending upon this land called Gongxian.

Once Fei Qian's army is mobilized at full strength, its power, its sharpness, and its destructive efficiency far exceed his worst expectations!

The earthen ramparts are clear evidence of this.

Once the cavalry got serious, they couldn't even last a single day!

What about Gongxian County?
How long could this city, on which he had placed his high hopes, hold out against the full-scale attack of the Flying Cavalry?

Three days? Five days?
still is……

tomorrow?

A chilling coldness instantly shot through Cao Hong's body from the soles of his feet, and he dared not think any further. He gripped the cold city bricks tightly, his knuckles turning white from the excessive force, as if trying to draw a wisp of illusory power from them.

Suddenly, the night breeze carried some faint whispers.

"It seems like it really won't work..."

"How could things possibly turn out well? Those military academy sergeants, one by one..."

"We're the ones who suffer..."

If this were fairer, it would be fine...

Cao Hong followed the sound, stuck his head out, and saw some soldiers gathered together under the city wall inside the city, whispering among themselves.

Just as the guard was about to shout angrily, Cao Hong stopped him, recognizing whose soldiers they were...

……

……

After inspecting the city, Cao Hong returned to the Gongxian government office.

The lobby was empty and cold.

On the desk lay the loss report compiled during the day.

The bamboo slips and wooden tablets lay scattered haphazardly, covered with dense ink characters. To him, they now resembled cold corpses lying on a battlefield.

Three corner towers and five arrow towers were destroyed, and countless crenellations of the parapet were damaged...

One hundred and seventy-three soldiers were killed in action, forty-seven were seriously wounded and rendered unable to fight, and the number of those with minor injuries was countless...

Two ballistae and one catapult were destroyed, and a large number of bows and arrows and logs were also lost...

The cost was devastating.

And this is just the beginning!
This is only the first day!
Fei Qian's troops were like a sophisticated war machine.

Every soldier knew what they were supposed to do...

The infantry's rattan shield formations, like mobile fortresses, advanced steadily under the cover of artillery fire, filling trenches and clearing obstacles.

And that Thunder Cannon is the most powerful armor-piercing hammer of this tactic!
Each roar struck precisely at the most vulnerable or critical point on the Gongxian defense line.

They are gradually and methodically crushing the defensive shell upon which Gongxian depends for its survival...

A terrible thought suddenly popped into my head!

Perhaps the city will fall much faster than he anticipated!

"Those Thunder Cannons must be destroyed!"

Cao Hong's voice echoed in the empty hall, like the groan of a seriously ill person.

"And their gunpowder! Otherwise... tomorrow... the day after..."

"Someone come here... cough cough..."

Cao Hong raised his voice and slammed his hand on the heavy table, "Guards!!"

The reports on the desk, resembling corpses, jolted and twitched briefly, like dead frogs being electrocuted.

"Order! All military officers and sergeants, report for a meeting immediately!"

He's going to fight back!

He can't just sit here and wait to die!
He's going to send men to launch a night raid on the Flying Cavalry's camp!
As for whether the soldiers and military academy officers were willing to launch a night raid...

It's okay, just bear with it. We've suffered for so long, one more time won't make a difference!
How can there be no sacrifices in war?
Moreover, Cao Hong had already decided who to send...

These people are here to pay... cough cough, to guard the city, not to ask questions!
……

……

The flickering lights stretched the shadows of people, making them appear longer and shorter, like ghosts.

Inside the government office's council hall, the atmosphere was as oppressive as if it were filled with lead. The military officers who had received the orders were all standing solemnly at the lower level.

Their heads were all down, like elementary school students caught doing something wrong in class.

Cao Hong slowly scanned the faces of his subordinates who had followed him for many years, but no one dared to look up and meet his gaze.

Wang Sima, who was previously known for his bravery and fierceness, now had his eyes downcast and his body taut, like a lifeless wooden or clay sculpture, even his breathing was deliberately slow and gentle.

Lieutenant Li, a loyal and devoted personal guard captain whom Cao Hong had personally promoted years ago, had once shielded him from stray arrows and hidden arrows on the battlefield. But now, this once closest subordinate was bowing his head deeply, his face mostly obscured by the shadow of his helmet.

Commandant Zhao is a veteran of many years in the military, with rich experience and a reputation for composure...

But his hands, hanging at his sides, unconsciously and repeatedly dug at the copper studs on the edge of his leather armor.

The other military academies remained silent as well.

A suffocating silence.

Those who have survived to this day are not fools.

A night raid, to put it nicely, is really just suicide!

Everyone saw the battle during the day; the cavalry's cannons were heavily protected by cavalry, infantry, and rattan shields!

Indeed, as Cao Hong said, the cannons and gunpowder were indeed vulnerable once they were in close combat.

The cannon barrel is difficult to destroy directly, but if the carriage is slightly damaged, the weight of the cannon itself may cause the muzzle to deform when it falls!
As for gunpowder, all it takes is a tiny spark...

But those heavily guarded, elite infantry and fierce cavalry are not to be trifled with!

Are the cavalry generals idiots?
Would they so easily expose such a vital lifeline?
Tired and relaxed?

The "fatigue and relaxation" that Cao Hong mentioned was, in their eyes, simply a fantasy!

During the day, the disciplined military formation and high morale showed no sign of fatigue or slackness.

Not to mention the elusive cavalry scouts who roam the perimeter of the battlefield like ghosts!
Why launch a night raid if you want to evade these scouts?
With such high-level defense and vigilance from the Flying Cavalry, this was hardly a matter of life and death.
It was clearly a certain death sentence!
It was a complete suicide!

It's like leading your men into a fire pit, into a meat grinder!
Who would like to go?

Who dares to go?!

Before the systemic collapse, most of the ruling class thought they could "hold on" a little longer.

The same applies to Cao Hong.

Therefore, seeing the military academy students behave this way, Cao Hong's face gradually turned ashen...