Shuhan

Late at night, the moon was dark and the wind was strong, and the valley was silent. Only the occasional chirping of night birds broke the dull tranquility.

However, this tranquility did not last long. Suddenly, both sides of the valley seemed to be ignited by invisible anger, and deafening shouts of killing suddenly rang out, as if the gates of hell were suddenly pushed open, releasing endless killing and fear.

"Come on!"

Roars, filled with determination and madness, came from the Han army's camp.

Followed by.

The echoes of “Kill~” came one after another, surging like a tide.

In this inky black night, arrows streaked across the sky like meteors, bringing with them the sound of whistling wind, like a torrential rain of arrows pouring down, or like a swarm of locusts passing through, densely packed, covering the sky and the sun.

Each arrow is extraordinary, with a small pack of explosives carefully developed by the Academy of Sciences tied to it. Although these packs of explosives are small, they are extremely powerful. Even if they fail to hit the target directly, as long as they are within a one-meter radius, the impact of the explosion is enough to smash people to pieces, leaving no one alive.

Boom boom boom~
Whoosh whoosh~
The sounds of explosions and arrows breaking through the air intertwined to form a symphony of death.

The defensive formation that the Wei army had originally formed on the spot was instantly shattered by this sudden attack.

The Wei army soldiers were panicked and fled in all directions, crying for their parents.

"Oh my god, what the hell is this!"

"Save me, I don't want to die!"

"Retreat, retreat quickly!"

Fear and despair spread rapidly like a plague, plunging the entire Wei army camp into chaos.

In this chaos, Cao Xiu's face was ashen, but there was a gleam of unyielding spirit in his eyes.

Giving up at this moment would mean the annihilation of the entire army, and he must not become a sinner of the Wei State.

So he gritted his teeth, used all his strength, and shouted loudly: "Charge to the hill on the left, hold the hill, and wait for reinforcements to come!"

His voice echoed in the night sky. Although it was faint, it revealed unquestionable firmness.

After saying that, Cao Xiu led the charge, sword in hand, and led his personal guards, rushing towards the hill on the left like an unstoppable torrent.

In the chaos, only a few people heard Cao Xiu's voice. Either out of trust in their general or a desire to survive, they followed Cao Xiu and rushed towards the only possible way to survive.

However, more people lost their way in this sudden disaster.

Some of them were killed mercilessly by the rain of arrows, while others were beheaded by the swords of the Han soldiers who rushed up. More of them chose to surrender, kneeling on the ground, holding their heads in their hands, trembling, and praying to survive the night.

The fighting lasted all night, and the sky gradually turned pale.

However, for Cao Xiu and his personal guards, this night was like hell on earth.

When they finally climbed up the hill and looked back, they saw the ground was devastated and corpses were everywhere. The once 5,000 elite Wei troops were now reduced to about a thousand people, all of them in tattered clothes, covered with scars, and barely alive.

The Han army stopped its offensive. They surrounded the enemy without attacking, obviously intending to use these more than a thousand people as bait to lure more Wei troops to come and die.

Cao Xiu looked at the dense Han army at the foot of the mountain with mixed feelings.

In this battle, they were already in a desperate situation, but he knew better that as a general, he could not fall down. He had to be responsible for the lives of more than a thousand people and fight for the State of Wei.

The night gradually faded, the dawn began to appear on the horizon, and the morning breeze blew across the main tent of the central army, bringing a hint of coolness.

Liu Chan slowly woke up in Bu Lianshi's warm embrace.

He stood up quietly, afraid of disturbing the sleeping beauty beside him, put on the dragon robe, and walked into the dragon tent silently.

Inside the dragon tent, the flickering candlelight illuminated Liu Chan's solemn and expectant expression.

Finally, when the first ray of sunlight penetrated the clouds and shone on the earth, a burst of hurried footsteps broke the silence. The messenger, covered in dust and panting, rushed into the tent and knelt on the ground, with excitement in his voice that could not be concealed: "Your Majesty, victory news from the front! Thousands of Wei reinforcements were ambushed by our army, most of them were annihilated, and the rest were driven to the hills as bait!"

When Liu Chan heard this, a gleam of light flashed in his eyes and the corners of his mouth rose unconsciously, but then he regained his composure.

"Good! You all have made great contributions in this ambush. We should reward the three armies."

Then, Liu Chan turned to Fei Yi beside him, his eyes flashing with deep light, and slowly said: "Hu Zun is firmly defending the Bagongshan camp and refuses to surrender. This is a great threat to our army. I suggest that these reinforcements and surrendered soldiers be placed outside the Wei army camp on Bagongshan to shake their morale and cause internal chaos. What do you think?"

When Fei Yi heard this, a trace of admiration flashed in his eyes, and he bowed quickly and said, "Your Majesty, this plan is very good. It can not only show the power of our army, but also undermine the morale of the enemy. It is really a strategy that kills two birds with one stone."

Surround the point and attack the reinforcements. Surround the point and attack the reinforcements.

You have to eat the food and the reinforcements as well.

Sima Yi, I will let you know what military incompetence and political powerlessness are!
In the middle area of ​​the Baguashan camp, the offensive and defensive battles were like a raging fire, and there was never a moment's pause.

On the steep cliffs, the middle-level camp was like an eagle, looking down upon the Han army below.

However, even such a dangerous place could not stop the fierce offensive of the Han army.

They came like a tide, wave after wave, and did not retreat even when they left behind cold corpses under the middle camp.

The Han army's siege equipment showed its terrifying power at this time.

The huge catapults, battering rams, and ladders, under the control of the Han army, were like the fangs of giant beasts, biting fiercely at the Wei army's defense line.

The most terrifying thing is the power of gunpowder.

Whenever the Han army ignited the black powder, the explosion sounded like thunder, and the flames and smoke intertwined into a web of death, enveloping the Wei army in the middle camp.

Even in such an easy-to-defend and difficult-to-attack place, the Wei army suffered heavy casualties.

Their morale had been reduced to its lowest point due to the huge casualties and endless fighting.

The eyes of the Wei army soldiers on Bagua Mountain no longer had the initial determination and enthusiasm, but instead were replaced by a deep fatigue and despair.

And for them, something worse happened.

Those Wei army reinforcements that were defeated by the Han army now became tools for the Han army to persuade them to surrender.

They were pulled by the Han army to the middle-level camp, and shouted at the Wei army in the camp to surrender.

"Brothers, surrender! The Han army is too powerful, we can't resist it at all! Why pay the price of life for this hopeless battle?"

"Look at us. We used to be the elite troops of the Central Army, but now we are prisoners. But the Han army gave us a chance to live. As long as we surrender, we can live!"

"Surrender! Your wife and children at home are waiting for you to come home!"

These words of persuasion, like the saliva of a poisonous snake, eroded the morale of the Wei army in the middle camp drop by drop.

There was a wavering look in their eyes, and the weapons in their hands seemed to become extremely heavy.

When Hu Zun saw this scene, he was immediately filled with anger.

Granny bear!

It would be fine if you just surrendered, but now you dare to persuade me to surrender?

So brave!

These reinforcements and surrendered troops were the culprits that caused the cholera in the army's morale.

He immediately ordered the archers in the camp to shoot to death those who were trying to persuade them to surrender.

"Those who surrender are spineless cowards. Shoot them to death!"

Upon receiving the order, the archers immediately drew their bowstrings, and arrows fell like raindrops, shooting the reinforcements and troops who were trying to persuade them to surrender and sending them fleeing in all directions.

However, even so, the morale of the Wei army in the middle camp had already hit rock bottom.

Hu Zun looked at this scene and felt extremely heavy in his heart.

If this continues, I'm afraid someone in the camp will really surrender to the Han army.

Hu Zun gripped the weapon tightly in his hand, his eyes flashing with determination and resoluteness.

He knew very well that as a general, he had to stand up at this time and build confidence for the soldiers.

He shouted loudly: "Brothers! As the elite of the Wei army, we eat your majesty's food and wear your majesty's clothes. How can we surrender so easily? Look at our camp, it is as solid as a rock, easy to defend and difficult to attack! Look at our brothers, although they have suffered heavy casualties, they have never retreated! How can we disappoint them? How can we disappoint your majesty's expectations?"

Hu Zun's words echoed like thunder in the middle-level camp, and his voice was full of determination and passion.

When the soldiers heard his shout, their eyes gradually regained their spirit.

They held their weapons tightly, as if they had regained their initial courage and determination. However, even so, the Han army's offensive did not weaken in the slightest.

They came like a tide, attacking the middle-level camp wave after wave.

The morale that had just been aroused by Hu Zun suddenly dissipated.

. . .

at the same time.

In Shouchun City, the originally peaceful life was broken by a sudden storm.

The news of Cao Xiu's defeat spread quickly throughout the city like wildfire. The spies from the Military Affairs Department took the opportunity to spread the news widely, exaggerating it and making it even more thrilling.

For a time, Shouchun City seemed to be shrouded in a layer of haze, and people were in panic and uneasy all day long.

People were talking in the streets, their words filled with fear and anxiety.

"Have you heard? General Cao Xiu was defeated! He is the pillar of our Wei Kingdom!"

"Yeah, what should we do? I'm afraid Shouchun City can't be defended!"

"We have to defend it even if we can't! This is our home, our roots!"

However, more people chose to flee. They were unwilling to continue living in this city that was about to become a battlefield.

As a result, an unprecedented scene of chaos appeared at the gate of Shouchun City.

The people rushed to the city gate, trying to escape from this dangerous place that was about to be engulfed in war.

Their faces were filled with anxiety and fear, and they held their belongings tightly in their hands, fearing that they would be swept away by the crowd if they let go.

The cries of children, the screams of women, and the gasps of the elderly were intertwined.

And there is bad news for them.

There were so many people fleeing that the road was completely blocked for a while.

Some anxious citizens tried to push away the people in front of them, but this caused more chaos and disputes.

Some people took the opportunity to cause chaos. They set fire to houses and streets, robbed gold, silver and jewelry, raped women in the streets, and beat and killed fleeing civilians, creating even greater chaos.

For a moment, Shouchun City seemed to have turned into a hell on earth, with flames shooting into the sky and smoke filling the air.

At this time, Sima Shi led his troops to suppress the rebellion.

He was wearing armor, holding a sword, and standing majestically at the city gate.

His eyes were firm and cold, as if he could see through everything.

Sima Shi shouted loudly: "Stop it! Anyone who dares to set fire or cause trouble will be killed without mercy!"

His voice resounded through the sky like thunder, instantly quieting the originally chaotic crowd.

The soldiers sent by Sima Shi acted quickly. Armed with swords, spears, and halberds, they subdued those who set fires and made trouble one by one.

Their movements were clean and neat, without any drag.

In a short period of time, more than a hundred rioters were beheaded and blood flowed like a river.

However, this did not make Sima Shi feel the slightest bit happy.

His heart was filled with heaviness and helplessness, as he knew that there was a deeper crisis hidden behind this turmoil.

Under the soldiers' suppression, Shouchun City gradually returned to peace.

The city gates were closed and those who wanted to escape were sent back home.

Those who dared to resist were treated as Han army spies.

Although this move calmed Shouchun down a little, the restless people were not easily suppressed.

The people's hearts are filled with fear and anxiety, they don't know what will happen in the future.

Sima Shi stood on the city wall, gazing into the distance, his heart filled with worry and helplessness.

This war has just begun, and the real test is yet to come.

Only now did he understand his father's difficulties.

There are too many constraints to defend Shouchun.

However, Sima Shi had no time to feel sentimental the next year, and he immediately rode his horse to the General's Mansion.

In Shouchun City, inside the General's Mansion, the atmosphere was so depressing that it seemed as if water could drip out.

Sima Shi walked in hurriedly, the blood on his armor had not yet dried, highlighting his solemn expression.

He walked quickly to Sima Yi and said in a deep voice: "The unrest in the city has been quelled."

Sima Yi nodded, but his brows were filled with worry.

He sighed and said slowly: "The people of Shouchun have already dispersed before the Han army came to attack. If the Han army came to attack, I am afraid these people would be the source of unrest. It would be better to disperse some of them."

His voice was low and helpless, and he obviously felt the current situation was very difficult.

Upon hearing this, Sima Shi shook his head and said firmly: "If we send all of them out of the city, who will serve as the laborers in the war? Moreover, if we send some of them out, what will the others think? It is best not to let any of them go."

Minister Cui Lin also nodded and agreed: "Now is the time to recruit people, how can these people leave?"

There was a hint of anxiety in Cui Lin's words, and he obviously did not agree with Sima Yi's proposal.

After talking about the turmoil in the city, Cui Lin looked at Sima Yi and asked, "When will the general go out of the city to rescue General Cao? He is now surrounded on the earthen hill. If the Han army attacks, he will die. If Cao Xiu dies in the battle, Your Majesty will be furious, especially when you know that the general did not save him. You and I will be blamed!"

There was a hint of anxiety and worry in Cui Lin's voice.

Cao Xiu's position in the court was higher than anyone else present. He could die, but he could not ignore him and watch him die when he was besieged by the Han army and could ask for help.

Sima Shi refuted: "The Han army kept General Cao to lure us out of the city for reinforcements. Even if we send more people out, they will be defeated outside the city. We must not send reinforcements."

Sima Shi was obviously opposed to sending troops to rescue Cao Xiu.

Cui Lin snorted coldly and said dissatisfiedly: "When His Majesty blames you, will you say the same thing to His Majesty?"

not help?

Cao Xiu was surrounded.

Even if you know it is a trap, you can still be saved.

Sima Yi sighed, feeling helpless.

He had originally disagreed to rescue Cao Xiu in Bagua Mountain, but now, the reinforcements were ambushed.

And the worst thing happened. Cao Xiu did not die, but became a bait for the Han army to lure them.

Cao Xiu was in a high position of power. Even though he knew that the Han army was using him as bait, he still had to send troops to provide assistance.

This feeling really made him feel fucked up.

Sima Yi was silent for a moment, then said solemnly: "I know that rescuing Cao Xiu is very risky, but we cannot sit idly by. After all, he is our general, and his life and death are related to our morale. If he dies on the battlefield, our morale will be greatly affected."

Sima Shi's expression changed when he heard this. He understood his father's concerns.

However, he also knew the risks of sending troops to rescue.

"Father, I can't go to save her!"

Sima Yi waved his hand and said, "We must be saved!"

But how to save is actually an art.

He would definitely send troops to rescue them, but whether they could be rescued was another matter.

As for being blamed after Cao Xiu's death?

He has already prepared to submit a letter to explain the inside story. If Your Majesty finds him guilty, then he will no longer be a general! (End of this chapter)