Three Kingdoms: Wolong's brother-in-law, tricking Liu Bei into seizing Jingzhou

That trebuchet possessed a terrifying power four times that of a regular catapult!

With such immense power, it could easily not only collapse solid and thick city walls, but also towering mountain peaks.

"Are you really confident that you can build this incredibly powerful trebuchet?"

Upon hearing this, Empress Pinu jumped up from her seat in excitement, staring intently at Sima Yi, and asked anxiously.

Sima Yi, with a solemn expression, clasped his hands together and said earnestly:

"If Yi Ruo fails to build this thunderbolt chariot, she is willing to accept any punishment without complaint."

Upon hearing this, Empress Vinu's eyes flashed with a resolute glint, and she said:

"Very well! I will immediately gather all the artisans and place them under your command!"

Sima Yi's face lit up with delight, and he quickly said:

"Your Majesty, rest assured, I will do my utmost and never betray Your Majesty's trust in me."

Empress Pinu immediately ordered all the artisans to obey Sima Yi's command and assist him in building the Thunder Chariot.

After the military council concluded, everyone gathered in the Qin army's central command tent.

Upon entering the tent, Cao Rui eagerly looked at Sima Yi and asked:
"Prime Minister, is the thunderbolt cart you speak of truly so powerful?"

"Thunderbolt?"

What kind of trebuchet?

Chen Qun, who was left behind in the camp, asked with great curiosity after hearing this.

Cao Rui then relayed to Chen Qun in detail Sima Yi's initiative to volunteer to build the trebuchet.

Upon hearing this, Chen Qun looked surprised and asked Sima Yi:
"Zhongda, are you really talking about the Thunder Chariot?"

Sima Yi nodded slightly, giving an affirmative answer.

Cao Rui, however, still looked bewildered, seemingly still harboring doubts about the thunderbolt cart.

Seeing this, Chen Qun quickly said:
"Quickly bring out the blueprints and let His Majesty take a good look at them, so that His Majesty will have a clear understanding of the situation."

Sima Yi smiled slightly, calmly took out a scroll from his bosom, and slowly unfurled it.

Cao Rui quickly bent down, staring intently at the blueprints, and began to examine them carefully.

As he watched, Cao Rui suddenly showed a look of surprise:
"This trebuchet looks just like the one Liu Ye built back then!"

"Your Majesty truly has discerning eyes!"

Sima Yi said with a smile, "This is indeed the thunderbolt chariot that Liu Ye built back then!"

Cao Rui suddenly understood after hearing this and excitedly said:

"Excellent! With such powerful trebuchets, we will surely be able to take down Gaochang City in one fell swoop!"

Sima Yi simply smiled and remained silent.

Cao Rui slammed his hand on the table in excitement and exclaimed in praise:

"One month from now, we'll use these trebuchets to bombard Gaochang City and take it down in one fell swoop!"

...

On the walls of Gaochang, Ma Su stood atop the city wall, gazing into the distance at the Yuezhi army's camp, his heart filled with doubt.

What puzzled him most was how the Yuezhi army solved the problem of food supplies.

How exactly were the daily rations transported across the treacherous Pamir Mountains to reach the front lines?
Could it be that the Yuezhi people's grain transport team grew wings and flew over here?

Ma Su frowned, deep in thought, but still couldn't find a solution.

“The Yuezhi army is disregarding the difficulty of their supply lines. I predict that their food supplies will run out in less than half a month.”

A general standing beside him said with a hint of sarcasm:

"At that time, the Yuezhi army will be worn down by us until they collapse without a fight."

The voice just fell.

Fu Jian suddenly pointed and shouted:
"General Zhenxi, look! What's that?"

Ma Su looked in the direction Fu Jian pointed.

One after another, uniquely shaped and distinctive grain carts, loaded with plenty of provisions, came from the west and slowly entered the Yuezhi army's camp.

"It's just a Yuezhi army supply convoy, what's so strange about it?"

Zhao Guang disagreed.

Fu Jian's expression changed slightly, and he said urgently:

"Look closely, that's no ordinary grain convoy. Take a good look at those carts!"

Zhao Guang looked closely and realized that something was wrong.

"What the hell is that?"

"Could it be a mechanical vehicle?"

Zhao Guang exclaimed in surprise, his face filled with disbelief. Ma Su was startled by this and quickly looked over.

After careful examination, he discovered that it was indeed a car meticulously crafted using machinery.

Suddenly, Ma Su realized the truth.

He finally understood why the Yuezhi people dared to ignore the natural barriers and the hardships of transporting supplies, and insisted on attacking.

It turns out that the Yuezhi people possessed such amazing mechanical vehicles!

"Could there be such extraordinary people among the Yuezhi who could create such a wondrous object?"

Ma Su gasped, his face filled with shock and disbelief.

The Han soldiers on the city wall were also shocked by this sudden sight, and they began to whisper among themselves and discuss it.

After a while.

Ma Su sighed deeply and said:

"No wonder the Yuezhi Empress dared to ignore the Pamir Mountains and attack us; it turns out she had these mechanical vehicles to help her."

"General Zhenxi, what should we do?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Guang and Fu Jian quickly asked.

Ma Su snorted coldly and said:

"Even if they no longer have to worry about supply lines, so what?"

"My Gaochang City is as solid as a rock. No matter how they attack, we will surely wear them down until their morale is broken and they retreat without a fight!"

These words lifted Fu Jian and Zhao Guang's spirits, and their unease dissipated considerably.

After calming the people's hearts, Ma Su ordered his soldiers to make full preparations to defend Gaochang City and not let the Yuezhi people succeed.

Upon hearing this order, the morale of the tens of thousands of Han soldiers immediately stabilized, and they were eager to prepare for the upcoming battle.

...

Time flies, and a month has passed in the blink of an eye.

At dawn, when it was still early, the gates of the Yuezhi army camp were wide open, and the Yuezhi army poured out of the camp like a tide, lining up in neat formation outside the city to await their arrival.

Empress Vinu sat atop her magnificent imperial carriage and slowly drove out of the camp to the front lines.

"Emperor Qin, today I will witness the power of your Thunder Chariot."

Empress Pinu glanced at Cao Rui, her eyes full of expectation.

Cao Rui nodded slightly, signaling to Sima Yi.

Sima Yi raised his hand and waved it lightly, issuing the order.

Inside the Yuezhi camp, Han soldiers dragged hundreds of trebuchets through the formation to the front.

The Yuezhi people were seeing such a giant catapult for the first time, and they all showed surprise and whispered among themselves.

On the walls of Gaochang, the Han soldiers were shocked and exclaimed in astonishment upon seeing this scene.

"General Zhenxi, isn't that the Qin Dynasty's trebuchet?"

Fu Jian shouted excitedly.

Ma Su frowned deeply.

Zhao Guang looked puzzled and asked curiously:

"How could the Yuezhi people have invented such a thunderbolt chariot?"

Ma Su snorted coldly and said:

"It must have been that treacherous Sima Yi who gave the blueprints for the Qin dynasty's trebuchet to the Yuezhi people, which is why they possessed such a powerful weapon."

"General Zhenxi, the Yuezhi people have acquired trebuchets. What should we do?"

Upon hearing this, Fu Jian immediately lost his composure and anxiously asked...

Ma Su gritted his teeth and said in a deep voice:

"I never expected Cao Rui and Sima Yi to be so shameless, resorting to any means to achieve their goals."

"They helped the Yuezhi people create these two powerful weapons; we must ask for help immediately!"

Fu Jian accepted the order and hurriedly dispatched light cavalry to break out of Gaochang City and seek reinforcements from the rear.

outside the city.

The trebuchets are in position and ready for action.

Sima Yi raised his whip and shouted loudly:

"put!"

The trebuchets fired in unison, sending massive projectiles soaring into the air like meteors, whistling as they hurtled towards the walls of Gaochang. (End of Chapter)