Weird Three Kingdoms

Chapter 3821 (This is a fragmented and incomplete text, likely due to OCR errors. A more accurate translation would require the full context.)
The battle in Ye City was fierce and intense, but at the same time, the battlefield in Heluo was rather quiet.

The same event, in the same place, can lead to vastly different perspectives and conclusions depending on the people, their positions, and their circumstances.

The fact that the Tongguan cavalry did not move out for a long time meant that neither ambushes nor surprise attacks were effective for Cao Cao's army.

On the banks of the great river, Xiahou Wei reined in his warhorse, gazing at the distant Tongguan Pass. He clenched his fist, covering his mouth, and coughed softly, his eyes filled with anxiety. As a relative and "general" under Cao Cao, Xiahou Wei wasn't particularly famous in history, but one thing was certain: he wanted to inherit his father's "prestige" rather than die with the regrets of the Xiahou clan.

In fact, Xiahou Wei was quite young. If it weren't for the severe losses of the Cao and Xiahou clan generals this time, he wouldn't have been able to lead troops independently, even if it was just a detachment.

Du Xi, who was following Xiahou Wei, also had a similarly uneasy expression. He had heard that his friend Zhao Yan had joined the General of the Cavalry, but he didn't know if it was true or not, so he occasionally seemed a little dazed, perhaps thinking of his past interactions with Zhao Yan.

Du Xi also had the surname Du, but he had no connection with the Du family of Guanzhong anymore.

Similarly, if it weren't for the many strategists who died on the front lines, young people like Du Xi might have spent many more years grinding away in local positions in some counties...

This time, Cao Cao's army suffered a crushing defeat and heavy losses. Cao Cao even had to empty his coffin money.

Xiahou Wei didn't know if he could put the money he'd pulled out for his funeral back in, but at least for now, he had to be on high alert. Even though he felt immense pressure and caught a slight cold, he had to stay put.

Over time, Hangu Pass has gradually lost its effectiveness due to riverbed issues. Now, large numbers of soldiers can cross Hangu Pass directly through the exposed edges of the loess plateaus during the autumn and winter when the water level drops, without having to take the narrow mountain path. Only during the spring and summer when the water level rises do they have to continue taking the old route.

However, they were helpless when faced with Tongguan Pass.

Tongguan Pass guards the gateway to Chang'an, at the confluence of the three commanderies of Hedong, Fengyi, and Hongnong. The Yellow River, flowing from the north, turns east here. To the south of Tongguan Pass are loess plateaus and high mountains, and a few miles to the north lies the mighty Yellow River flowing eastward. To the west of Tongguan Pass is the Tong River, and to the east is the Jin River. Tongguan Pass is situated between these two rivers, nestled against the mountains and bordered by the river, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack. No matter how many times Xiahou Wei looked at it, he felt a chill run down his spine and a pervasive sense of powerlessness.

These natural geographical advantages are enough to make Tongguan a natural fortress, but Tongguan is more than that.

Under the governance and reconstruction of the Flying Cavalry, Tongguan was not only strong and well-equipped, but the heavy weaponry on the city walls was enough to make Xiahou Wei tremble.

Sometimes Xiahou Wei would wonder, wasn't it said that the Flying Cavalry had already taken all the cannons away, so how come there are two more placed on top?
Real cannons, or just for show?
Xiahou Wei dared not gamble.

On the loess plateau above Shangtong Pass, numerous watchtowers were built along its edge. Inside the watchtowers, one could vaguely see people moving about, and from the cold glint of sunlight reflecting off them, one could guess that there were powerful crossbows on the watchtowers, and extremely long-range ones at that.

Only medium to large-sized crossbows would have their muskets mounted...

In this way, even if Xiahou Wei dug out the centipede ladder from its hiding place, it would be difficult to launch a sneak attack.

The greater the hope, the greater the disappointment; either you abandon the original plan, or you're preoccupied with how to revise it...

Xiahou Wei was in this situation because it was not feasible to use the original centipede ladder method to climb over the loess plateau and disrupt the rear of Tongguan, which meant he could only respond passively.

Responding to all changes with constancy is easier said than done.

If he had enough troops...

Well, even with sufficient troops, it's not guaranteed that Tongguan could be captured. At least, Cao Cao has already proven that.

Now Xiahou Wei has even fewer soldiers. If he simply defends against the attack of the Tongguan cavalry, he will be somewhat passive. Even if Xiahou Wei has set up an ambush at the eastern end of the Tongguan Slope, it will not provide him with any sense of security.

The reason is simple: it's like a fishing net. If the net is too small and the fish are too big, even if Xiahou Wei wanted to kill both the fish and the net, he might not be able to succeed.

"Du, what method did the Flying Cavalry use to repair Tong Pass so quickly?" Xiahou Wei asked Du Xi.

Xiahou Wei had previously heard that Cao Cao's army had once captured the lower city of Tongguan and even threatened the upper city, but now it seems that many traces of the war have disappeared...

Du Xi gazed at the distant fortress and remained silent for a moment: "General Xiahou, I think it must have been a wooden frame covered with a layer of bricks and mortar... otherwise it couldn't have been repaired so quickly..."

Xiahou Wei nodded; he thought so too, otherwise the cavalry's abilities would be beyond their capabilities.

"Zixu, take some men and probe the area," Xiahou Wei said, pointing to the lower walls of Tongguan Pass. "See if that new city wall is just a wooden frame!"

Although Du Xi was reluctant to go, he had no choice but to obey the military order. However, Du Xi was not a fierce general, so he could only shout "Charge!" from the back of the formation.

However, if the goal is simply to verify whether the city walls below Tongguan Pass have a wooden frame structure, it's a relatively simple matter...

Du Xi dispatched soldiers to set up defensive positions at the Tongguan Pass, and then had soldiers and craftsmen assemble catapults in suitable locations.

After a busy day, Du Xi, who had boarded the command vehicle, gave an order, and the war drums sounded. He watched as the archers, under the cover of their shields, cautiously advanced forward.

Tongguan was completely silent, a silence that defied explanation.

Xiahou Wei strained his eyes, but all he saw was the Ma family's general's flag on the main city tower seem to sway slightly. "Come on, is this...cannon real or fake?"

However, the cannons on the fortified positions of Tongguan Pass remained silent, not firing.

As the distance gradually closed, Cao Cao's catapults, or "thunderbolt carts," entered the range where they could attack the city below Tongguan.

"Attack! Thunderbolt attack!"

Du Xi gave the order to attack almost immediately.

These catapults were all made on a temporary basis, and their versatility and mobility were very poor. Anyway, we didn't expect these catapults to be able to capture Tongguan City, so they were just for temporary use.

As Du Xi gave the order, the catapults began loading ammunition.

The shouts, combined with the sound of war drums, heightened the tense atmosphere of impending battle.

However, the fortress of Tongguan in the distance did not take any corresponding action; even the sound of the war drums seemed unhurried, giving off a somewhat indifferent feeling...

Xiahou Wei was actually prepared to retreat at any time...

During this period, Tongguan acted as if they hadn't seen Cao Cao's army appear on the Tongguan Slope.

This is very abnormal!
Perhaps the Flying Cavalry is gathering troops in Guanzhong, or perhaps there is some conspiracy, but Xiahou Wei's biggest worry is that if too many Flying Cavalry troops rush out from Tongguan, he will not be able to contain them!

So, by taking advantage of this "probing" attempt, if they can successfully "lure" out a portion of the cavalrymen and then lead them into the ambush...

Xiahou Wei couldn't help but feel a little nervous as he observed the somewhat strange reactions of the cavalry around Tongguan.

Something unusual must be going on. Xiahou Wei simply couldn't believe that the Flying Cavalry at Tongguan would be completely on the defensive. There was only one reason why they didn't launch an attack immediately.

The Flying Cavalry had other preparations...

This conclusion not only prompted Xiahou Wei to launch a fierce counterattack against the Flying Cavalry, but also worried him even more.

At the forefront of Cao Cao's army's position, catapults were equipped with stone projectiles. Just as the Cao Cao soldiers next to the catapults raised the small triangular flags that indicated they were ready, they heard the sound of war drums on the Tongguan city wall suddenly increase several notches, as if an invisible hand had suddenly turned up the volume.

Amidst the thunderous sound of war drums, Cao Cao's army looked up and saw more than a dozen black dots suddenly appear behind the earthen mound of Tongguan Pass, which then rapidly expanded...

"Enemy attack!"

Cao Cao's army leaders let out desperate roars.

These black dots traced a graceful arc in the air, accompanied by a sharp whistling sound, as they crashed into the dozen or so catapults that Cao Cao's army had just prepared in front of their lines.

"broken!"

Du Xi had a bad feeling as soon as he saw the arc of those black dots.

These black dots were projected down from the loess plateau, flying out from different locations, but their landing points were unusually concentrated!
"boom!"

A stone bullet struck one of Cao Cao's trebuchets, smashing it against its large triangular support.

The support suddenly shuddered, making a heart-stopping sound, and a piece of wood as thick as a thigh snapped in two!
The tall, heavy wooden dome creaked and fell to the side, sending wood chips flying and hitting the faces and bodies of the Cao army soldiers and craftsmen nearby!

"Ahhh..."

Amidst screams, two more stone projectiles rained down.

One shot missed completely, bouncing and leaping into the river, while the other shot was also a bit off, failing to hit Cao Cao's catapult and only whistling past a Cao Cao soldier!

The Cao army soldier who was grazed by the stone didn't even have time to scream before he was left with half a mangled body, splattering blood and falling to the side. The craftsman, whose head and face were covered in blood, seemed not to have reacted yet when flying wood chips severed half of his arm. The craftsman, who had suddenly lost his arm, stared wide-eyed. After a few moments of stunned silence, it seemed as if his nerves finally felt the intense pain. He howled and tried to grasp his severed arm in vain with his other good hand, staggering and knocking over a piece of wood.

The wooden pin jumped out, and the taut rope on the slightly tilted catapult swept out diagonally, striking several other Cao army soldiers, lifting them high into the air, and then dragging them down into the river...

Meanwhile, the stone projectiles from the earthen plateau above Tongguan continued unabated, with the second and third waves whistling down and crashing into Cao Cao's army positions.

The catapults of Cao's army, which had previously managed to escape the attack, finally succumbed to the relentless barrage of stones and collapsed with a crash. The civilians and soldiers nearby were already being beaten so badly that they were screaming in agony, suffering heavy casualties.

Du Xi huddled in the command vehicle, outside the range of the cavalry's attack, but still curled up under the vehicle's railing, his body trembling slightly. He was closer to the front lines, and the whistling of the cavalry's stones and the screams of Cao Cao's soldiers and laborers before their deaths struck Du Xi heavily, making him feel as if he had fallen into an ice cave.

Most of the trebuchets that Cao Jun had painstakingly built were destroyed...

The crucial point is that it was destroyed before we could even find out anything...

The cavalry at Tongguan were not unresponsive at all; they had made preparations long ago!
After the sharp whistling gradually subsided, Du Xi slowly poked his head out again and saw the scene he had expected.

The scene was one of utter devastation, with casualties everywhere.

Cao Jun's trebuchet formation suffered a near-devastating blow.

On the walls of Tongguan, no more stones were fired, and a deafening cheer erupted.

In contrast, the Cao army's positions were completely silent.

More than a dozen trebuchets were destroyed by the cavalry before they could even fire a single stone.

Without needing any words, the disparity in strength between the two sides was clearly laid bare before everyone.

Du Xi hesitated for a moment, then turned to look in Xiahou Wei's direction. He didn't know what he could do now—retreat again to build another batch of trebuchets, or continue the attack and use human flesh to test whether the lower city of Tongguan was made of brick or wood?
Xiahou Wei was also alarmed by the chaos before his battle lines. Nevertheless, he waved his battle flag and ordered Du Xi to continue the attack.

This attack wasn't aimed at capturing Tongguan City; if Tongguan were so easily conquered, it wouldn't be Tongguan. Xiahou Wei wanted to probe Tongguan's strength and weaknesses, and also hoped that Tongguan would send some of its elite cavalry...

In any case, it's better to lure the Flying Cavalry into our ambush than to face the catapults and cannons at Tongguan!

Even if it means losing all the Cao army soldiers we send out, we must still demonstrate the bravery of the Cao army!
Xiahou Wei's command was like a cold iron whip, striking Du Xi's head.

Du Xi looked at the banners of the cavalry fluttering atop Tongguan Pass in the distance, then turned back to look at the devastated, blood-stained ground in front of the battle lines, shattered by stone projectiles. His throat felt dry.

I should have known he would never have accepted any conscription or sought promotion...

But if he disobeys orders, he'll probably be beheaded by the supervisory team right now!
"Give the order..." Du Xi's voice was a little hoarse, but he tried to appear calm. "Frontline swordsmen, form ranks! Archers, hold the rear! Target: Tongguan Pass—Attack!"

Cao Cao's war drums sounded again.

This time, the drumbeats were heavy and oppressive, as if striking the hearts of every soldier in Cao Cao's army.

The soldiers who were called upon were mostly veterans of Qingzhou who had fought many battles. Their faces were expressionless, with only a kind of numb silence.

They silently inspected their ring-pommel swords and wooden shields, straightened their worn leather armor, and then formed a loose formation, beginning their advance along the Tongguan Slope.

My footsteps were heavy, rustling as they trod on the hard, cold earth of late autumn.

No one spoke, only the occasional clanging of metal armor plates and the agonizing sound of war drums.

The walls of Tongguan remained quiet, but this quiet was even more unsettling than the previous barrage of stones. It was like a fully drawn bow, silently waiting for its prey to enter the optimal range.

One hundred and fifty steps.

One hundred and twenty steps!

One hundred steps...

Just as Cao Cao's army entered the hundred-step line, a sharp whistle suddenly rang out from the top of Tongguan!

In an instant, like a swarm of locusts, a dense barrage of arrows rose from behind the battlements, piercing the gray sky with deathly shrieks, and rained down on Cao Cao's army!

"Raise your shields! Raise your shields!" The rank and file of Cao Cao's troops, including the squad leaders in the ranks, were all shouting at the top of their lungs.

The veterans of Qingzhou instinctively raised their wooden shields above their heads and hunched over. A series of rapid, rain-like impacts followed as arrows pierced the shields, some even penetrating the thin surface and injuring the soldiers behind them.

Screams began to rise sporadically as Cao soldiers fell to the ground, their blood quickly staining the ground beneath them.

"Don't stop! Keep going!" Du Xi could see clearly from behind, and his heart tightened with the rain of arrows, but he still gritted his teeth and gave the order.

Stopping only makes you a bigger target; you can only move forward!
Cao's soldiers braved a hail of arrows and struggled to move forward.

Every step forward comes at the cost of bloodshed.

The cavalry archers on the city wall were clearly well-trained; their arrows were almost nonstop and incredibly accurate, specifically targeting weakly protected or slow-moving targets within the formation.

The formation began to fall into disarray, and casualties were rising rapidly.

As the arrows fell, the stone projectiles from the Tongguan city wall appeared in the air once again!

Even the bravest soldiers would feel fear when faced with such a devastating attack from above.

"Scatter! Disperse!" Du Xi shouted urgently, his voice trembling.

In this environment, a dense formation is suicidal.

Cao's soldiers instinctively carried out orders, and their formation became more loose, but this also weakened their offensive power and ability to cover each other.

Individual bravery appears so insignificant in the face of the war machine.

Finally, several dozen valiant veterans of Cao Cao's army, with the cover provided by their comrades who sacrificed their lives, rushed to the base of the city wall at the foot of Tongguan.

They quickly erected a makeshift ladder, held a ring-pommel sword in their mouths, and began to climb upwards with great effort.

This is the most dangerous moment, and also the moment that tests courage the most.

On the city wall, what awaited them were cold blades and a forest of halberds.

The cavalry commanders calmly used forked poles to push aside the siege ladders and thrust their spears and halberds at Cao Cao's soldiers.

Screams rose and fell as Cao Cao's soldiers continued to fall from mid-air, crashing to the ground and becoming twisted corpses.

Occasionally, one or two lucky individuals would climb to the top of the city wall, only to be pierced by several halberds simultaneously before they could even stand firmly, falling to the ground. Their sacrifice was like a pebble thrown into the ocean, failing to even create a ripple.

Du Xi, watching from the command vehicle at the rear, felt his hands and feet grow cold. He watched helplessly as the Cao army soldiers he had sent out fell one by one like harvested wheat, their blood staining the Tongguan Pass.

He was filled with a sense of powerlessness and a deep sense of guilt, but another voice was telling him—

This is a necessary sacrifice, a test of strength and weakness, for the sake of the bigger picture...

He didn't even dare to look into the eyes of the dying soldiers, eyes filled with despair and resentment.

"Du Congshi! This can't go on! The casualties are too high! Let's retreat!" A military officer covered in blood staggered back, a deep arrow wound on his face, and shouted hoarsely.

Du Xi's lips trembled slightly; how could he not want to retreat?

But he caught a glimpse of the flags flying from Xiahou Wei's rear, signaling that they should "continue the attack and not retreat"...

Du Xi gritted his teeth and ordered, "No retreat! Anyone who disobeys will be executed! Second team, advance!"

Another group of Cao soldiers were driven over the corpses and pools of blood of their comrades, launching a new, doomed charge toward that deadly pass.

The numbness on the faces of these Qingzhou soldiers deepened, and their eyes became even more vacant, as if they had lost all desire to live, mechanically carrying out orders and heading towards a known death...