Shuhan

The setting sun penetrated the battlements of Luoyang City, dyeing the broken city walls dark red.

The ice surface of the moat was cracked like a spider web, and the blood residue in the cracks glowed like rust under the slanting light, as if it were an old scar cut on the earth.

The charred remains of the ladder were stuck diagonally in the frozen soil. Half of the burned Wei army flag was entangled on a broken log, twitching in the north wind, revealing the mottled words "Xiahou" on the flag.

The west wind swept over the ruins of the city wall, raising snow mixed with ashes, which clanged against the fallen bronze camel statue.

The bronze camel, which was cast during the reign of Emperor Ling of the Eastern Han Dynasty, now had half of its body sunk in a deep pit created by a cannonball. Three standard Han army ring-handled swords were stuck on the camel's hump. The plain silk wrapped around the handles had long been soaked in blood and turned brown-purple, with faint traces of the ink marks "Recover the Central Plains" visible.

The city of Luoyang looks even more vicissitudes of life under the setting sun.

To the west and east of the city, Helu Gate and Jianchun Gate stand quietly like two loyal guards, witnessing countless historical changes.

At this time, the setting sun was as red as blood, outlining the outline of the city gate with exceptional clarity, and also reflecting on the faces of the soldiers guarding the city.

These soldiers, wearing heavy armor and holding spears, stood on the city wall, looking a little bored.

There was a hint of fatigue and boredom in their eyes, as if they had lost patience with this endless war.

"Hey, you tell me, when will Xiahou Xian be able to pacify the Yingchuan Zhong family, the Xun family, and the Qinghe Cui family in Biyong?"

A soldier broke the silence. His voice was a little hoarse, obviously because he had not had water for a long time.

"Who knows? These big families are all very cunning. It's not that easy to pacify them."

Another soldier shook his head. His face was covered with dust and a few drops of sweat hung on his forehead, sparkling in the setting sun.

"I bet five hundred dollars that Xiahou Xian can deal with them next month!" a young soldier shouted excitedly, his eyes flashing with the unique light of a gambler.

"Hmph, five hundred coins? I bet a thousand coins, it will take at least another two months!" Another soldier snorted disdainfully, a playful smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.

Just like that, several soldiers started to make a bet. Their voices became louder and louder, attracting the surrounding soldiers to gather around and join this boring gambling game.

They were chatting and talking about women's topics. For a moment, the city wall was filled with laughter, as if the war was still far away from them.

At this moment, the earth suddenly shook, as if a huge force was surging underground.

When the ice spikes on the top of Luoyang City fell down, the garrison soldier Wang Wu was holding half a piece of hard-baked millet cake.

"What is that?" Wang Wu shouted in horror, with a hint of trembling in his voice.

He watched as the blood ice that had solidified in the cracks between the blue bricks suddenly cracked into spider-web-like patterns, and the grain of salt on the millet cake that was stained with coal ash actually began to dance a strange dance on the bronze arrow turret.

The newly repaired rammed earth wall on the west side of the tower suddenly peeled off, revealing the dense clusters of Han army arrows inside - these weapons left behind from the siege a few days ago were now trembling like awakened poisonous snakes.

"The earth dragon is turning over!" The new recruit at the corner of the city wall screamed and fell off the horse road. The moment the torch in his hand fell into the ice hole in the moat, he saw the densely packed ice axes of the Han army under the ice.

Cracks on the ice surface spread rapidly like lightning, and dozens of battering rams wrapped in kerosene broke through the ice. The bronze Taotie on the hammer heads spewed black sulfur smoke from their mouths, dyeing the setting sun an eerie purple-blue color.

When the captain of the city gate's tiger-head helmet was shaken off the battlement, he saw clearly the "black line" that swallowed up the sky and the earth.

That was not an ordinary army, but the elite Han army!

"Light the signal smoke! Light it quickly." His roar was drowned out by the roar of iron hooves shaking the earth.

The Han army's vanguard suddenly split to the sides, revealing eight hundred improved crossbows behind them. When the first wave of arrows flew into the air, the phosphorus powder on the arrowheads dragged thousands of streams of fire in the twilight, like a galaxy inverted.

The Wei soldiers on the city wall watched helplessly as the arrow disintegrated a second time in mid-air, and the exploding caltrops mixed with poisonous smoke enveloped the top of the city wall.

The smiles on the faces of the soldiers defending the city froze instantly. They all stood up straight and looked into the distance nervously.

"Han army! The Han army is invading!" Another soldier was sharp-eyed and recognized the true face of the black line at a glance. He shouted at the top of his lungs, his voice full of fear and despair.

The Wei army defending the city immediately rang the bell. The sound of the bell was dull and powerful, as if a giant was roaring.

The smoke of war rose immediately.

The sound of bells echoed in Luoyang City, and soon, the whole city was filled with the sound of bells. It was a signal for war preparation and also a foreshadowing of death.

Wolf smoke was burning at every gate.

The soldiers on the city wall became nervous in an instant. They tightly grasped their spears, with determination and resoluteness in their eyes.

They knew that a fierce battle was about to begin, and their lives would hang in the balance in this war.

At this time, the Han army had approached Luoyang city.

It was a team that stretched as far as the eye could see. The soldiers were dressed in iron armor, holding spears and swords. Their steps were neat and powerful, and their momentum was as high as a rainbow.

Their eyes were burning with war and hatred, as if they wanted to raze the city of Luoyang to the ground.

In front of the Han army were the heavy catapults, which, after being improved by the Academy of Sciences, not only did they remain as powerful as before, but were also easier to maneuver.

They were like giant beasts with bloody mouths wide open, ready to devour Luoyang City at any time.

"Fire!" The Han army general gave an order, and the soldiers on the catapults pulled the ropes hard. Huge stones flew towards Luoyang City with a whistling sound.

The stones were covered with kerosene and would cause a devastating fire once thrown into the city.

"Bang!" With a loud bang, a stone hit the west city wall of Luoyang City, splashing sparks.

Immediately afterwards, more stones came flying like raindrops, some hitting the city walls and some flying into the city.

At the same time, the Han army also threw explosive packs.

The explosive packs drew arcs in the air, then slammed into the city and exploded instantly. Flames shot up into the sky, smoke filled the air, and the entire west and north of Luoyang City were engulfed in a sea of ​​fire.

The flames devoured everything ragingly; houses, trees, streets... were all burned to ashes.

The people in the city fled in panic, fear and despair written all over their faces.

Women and children cried and screamed, their voices sounding particularly mournful in the sea of ​​fire.

The soldiers defending the city held their spears tightly and stood firm on the city wall.

Their faces were red in the firelight, and sweat ran down their cheeks and dripped onto the city walls.

"The Han army is invading! Everyone hold your positions and don't retreat!" a Wei army general shouted loudly, his voice hoarse and powerful, full of inspiring power.

The soldiers responded to his call one after another. They gripped their spears tightly and stood straight, like immovable mountains.

There was a gleam of determination in their eyes, as if they were ready to die in battle.

However, the Han army's offensive became more and more fierce.

Catapults continuously threw stones and explosive packs, leaving Luoyang City riddled with holes.

The Han soldiers came like a tide, waving swords and spears, and charged at the Wei army on the city wall.

The Wei soldiers fought bravely. They stabbed the Han soldiers with their spears and used their bodies to block the Han army's offensive.

However, the Han army was large in numbers and high in morale, and they quickly broke through the Wei army's defenses and climbed the city wall.

For a moment, fierce hand-to-hand combat broke out on the city wall.

The Wei soldiers wrestled with the Han soldiers, attacking each other with their fists, their teeth, and any other weapons they could find.

The blood dyed the city walls red, and also dyed the soldiers' clothes red.

A young Wei army soldier gripped the spear tightly in his hand, his eyes revealing determination and bravery.

He stabbed a Han soldier with all his might, but the other side dodged.

Immediately afterwards, the Han soldier slashed his shoulder with a knife, and the blood instantly dyed his armor red.

The young soldier screamed in pain, but there was no sign of retreat in his eyes.

He gritted his teeth, held the spear with his other hand, and stabbed at the Han soldier again.

However, his strength was already running out, and he was soon subdued by the Han soldiers. "Humph, Wei dog, let's see how you can resist!" The Han soldier sneered and raised his sword to chop off the young soldier's head.

At this moment, a Wei army general rushed over, chopped down the Han army soldier with one sword, and saved the young soldier.

However, he himself was stabbed in the abdomen by another Han soldier, and blood gushed out like a fountain.

"General!" the young soldier shouted in horror, his eyes filled with tears.

The general of the Wei army smiled bitterly. He covered the wound on his abdomen with his hands and said with difficulty: "Don't cry... Hold on... Luoyang..."

After saying this, he slowly fell to the ground and closed his eyes forever.

The young soldier was heartbroken and vowed to avenge the general.

He gritted his teeth, raised his spear, and rushed towards the Han soldiers again.

However, his strength was limited after all, and he was soon overwhelmed by the sea of ​​Han soldiers.

At this time, Luoyang City was in chaos.

The flames burned ragingly, poisonous smoke spread wildly, many Wei soldiers fell to the ground and vomited, and screams continued. In addition, the sounds of collapsing houses, people crying, and the clashing of swords intertwined together, forming a tragic symphony.

now.

South of Luoyang City, the night was as dark as ink, but the fire dyed the sky crimson.

Xiahou Xian had a resolute expression on his face and his eyes revealed unquestionable determination.

He still led the Wei army and tightly besieged several rebellious families in Biyong.

Biyong, the symbol of academic prosperity in the past, has now become a den of rebellion.

The armor of the Wei army flickered coldly in the firelight. The soldiers held spears in their hands and stood ready for battle. The atmosphere was so tense that it seemed as if the air was about to freeze.

Xiahou Xian stood on a high place, looking towards the direction of Biyong, thinking to himself: "These noble families are rebels, trying to overthrow our Wei Dynasty. Today, we must catch them all in one fell swoop!"

However, at this moment, fire suddenly broke out on the east and west sides of Luoyang City, and raging flames shot up into the sky, illuminating half of the sky red.

In the firelight, there seemed to be sounds of shouting and weapons clashing, and it was a scene of chaos.

Xiahou Xian's heart trembled and his brows furrowed. He knew very well that this sudden fire was no accident and must be a trick of the Han army to lure the tiger away from the mountain.

He immediately ordered: "Pass the order down, send a troop from each side to support, make sure to put out the fire and stabilize the situation!"

The messenger responded and the sound of horse hooves was quick and powerful, echoing in the night sky.

In Biyong, Zhong Hui, Cui Lin and others were surrounded by the Wei army and were extremely anxious.

They were originally children of noble families, but because they were dissatisfied with the Cao Wei regime, they joined the Han army. Now they are surrounded and their lives are uncertain.

However, when they saw fires on the east and west sides of Luoyang City, hope suddenly surged in their hearts.

There was a gleam of wisdom in Zhong Hui's eyes.

He whispered to Cui Lin: "This is a godsend opportunity. Why don't we take this opportunity to break out?"

Cui Lin nodded when he heard this, with a hint of determination in his eyes.

So, the two of them led their rebel troops and launched a sudden charge while the Wei army was divided to rescue.

Zhong Hui held a long sword and led the charge. With the flash of the sword, several Wei soldiers fell.

Cui Lin swung a sledgehammer, and wherever he passed, the Wei soldiers gave way and no one dared to confront him head-on.

Liao Hua, wearing armor and holding a spear, led a cavalry group to patrol outside Biyong.

He had a sharp gaze and was always paying attention to the movements of the Wei army.

When he saw the Wei army split up to support the east and west, he was delighted and immediately ordered: "Cavalry, listen to my order, follow me to harass the Wei army that is coming to support, and slow down their reinforcement speed!"

Liao Hua took the lead and led the cavalry to sweep away like a hurricane.

Sometimes they made encirclement moves and sometimes they charged head-on, making the Wei army exhausted.

Liao Hua's spear drew silver arcs in the night sky, and every time he swung it, a Wei soldier fell down.

His armor was splattered with the blood of his enemies, but he looked even more heroic and fearless.

At this time, Wei army reinforcements were rushing towards Helu Gate and Jianchun Gate.

They ran all the way, their hearts filled with anxiety and uneasiness.

However, when they arrived, they saw that part of the Han army had already sneaked into the city and was setting fire to Taicang and Changmancang.

Taicang and Changmancang are the two major granaries in Luoyang City, storing a large amount of grain.

Once burned, Luoyang City's food supply will be seriously affected.

The Han soldiers held torches, set the granary on fire, and then quickly retreated.

The flames rose into the sky, illuminating the night sky and the frightened faces of the Wei army soldiers.

As soon as the Wei army's reinforcements arrived, the Han army retreated like ghosts.

They came suddenly and left quickly, as if it was just a dream.

However, what they left behind was the burning granary and fear in the hearts of the Wei soldiers.

When Xiahou Xian learned that the granary was burned, he was furious.

He clenched his fists, digging his nails deep into his palms, but he felt no pain at all.

He knew very well that the burning of the granary was undoubtedly a heavy blow to the defense of Luoyang City.

He gnashed his teeth and said, "The Han army is so cunning that they use such despicable means! I will tear them into pieces!"

However, Xiahou Xian also understood at this moment that anger could not solve the problem.

He suppressed his anger and calmly analyzed the current situation.

He knew that the purpose of the Han army's attack was to rescue the gentry who had surrendered to the Han in Biyong, south of Luoyang City, and to burn the granaries in Luoyang City.

Now that they have achieved their goal, they will definitely withdraw.

Xiahou Xian took a deep breath and said to the deputy general beside him: "Pass the order down, the whole city is under martial law and the defense is strengthened. At the same time, send troops to pursue the Han army and make sure they are killed outside the city!" The deputy general responded and left, and the sound of conveying the order echoed in the night sky.

At this moment, Luoyang City has fallen into chaos.

The fires on the east and west sides had not yet been extinguished, and the fire in the granary was burning again.

The people in the city were panicked and fled in all directions.

Although the Wei army soldiers tried their best to put out the fire, the fire became more and more fierce, as if it was going to engulf the entire Luoyang city.

Outside Biyong, Zhong Hui, Cui Lin and others had successfully broken out.

They looked at the chaotic Luoyang city behind them, their hearts filled with emotion.

Zhong Hui sighed and said, "Today's danger is our good fortune. If it weren't for the help of the Han army, we would have died here."

Cui Lin nodded and said, "Yes, the Han army's attack this time is a great honor from the emperor of the Han Dynasty. We will definitely repay the Han army's kindness."

The two of them smiled at each other, their hearts full of anticipation for the future.

This time, by abandoning the dark and joining the light, at least the family's wealth was preserved. (End of this chapter)