At the beginning, I gave up my military power with a cup of wine, and I ascended the throne

Chapter 230: Defending Jubei City

Although the banquet was full of joy and happiness, the young men from wealthy families had their own concerns in their hearts and were just forcing themselves to smile.

When the banquet was over and everyone left, the maids and servants came up and cleaned up the leftovers on the table.

The situation in Youzhou gradually stabilized, and many promoted officials began to demonstrate their abilities.

The books of autumn harvest statistics and household registration in each county have been submitted. Xiao Han took a look at them and handed them to Xiahou Qing and Pan Yuanshao, who were to coordinate with the provincial government.

The sun is setting in the west.

The golden afterglow slowly retreated from the earth, and the majestic Jubei City stood on the ground. The towering city walls were stained red with blood and were pierced with dense arrows and swords and spears.

The glow of the setting sun and the blood seemed to echo each other, and a strong smell of blood lingered around my head. The wounded soldiers stood up shakily and raised the banner of the Northern Army again.

But he was immediately hit by an arrow shot from below the city, fell from the top of the city, and fell into the sea of ​​corpses and blood below.

The fighting was still going on, and the walkways on the top of the city were littered with corpses, including those of the Northern Army and those of the Northern Wei.

As night fell, with the last ladder being pushed down, the Northern Wei army under the city began to retreat.

The huge army marched away into the distance like a tide, and the last rays of the setting sun shone on the top of the city.

The surviving Northern Army soldiers repaired the gap on the city wall with the corpses of their comrades who had witnessed the incident with numb expressions.

Polish the broken sword and make final preparations for the upcoming war.

Xu Guangda, covered in blood, climbed up from the ground, leaning on a half-broken sword, with her armor shattered. If her personal guards had not blocked the sword, she would have been dead by now.

His burly body was extremely weak, his lips were so dry that they were cracked, and he could barely hold the knife in his hand.

"Snapped."

He looked up at the sky and muttered to himself, "It's getting dark."

As soon as he finished speaking, he fell towards the city, but fortunately he was caught by a soldier next to him.

"General."

Xu Guangda, who was pulled back, leaned against the corner and drank from the kettle handed to him by the soldiers in big gulps.

He hadn't eaten for three days, and only drinking water could give him a sense of fullness.

"How many people are left?"

Xu Guangda spoke.

"There are less than 3,000 brothers left."

The guard wiped the blood off his face. The blood had already coagulated and was stuck to his face, making it difficult for him to open his eyes.

"Any news about the brothers who were sent out for help?"

Xu Guangda looked in all directions at the shaky Northern Army soldiers. The city had been out of food for more than half a month ago. First, they killed the horses, and when the horses were almost eaten, they started eating snakes, insects and the like.

When all these are eaten up, then eat grass roots and tree bark. Finally, when there is nothing left to eat, then drink water.

They managed to fill their stomachs by drinking cold water and kept the Northern Wei army of more than 10,000 troops outside the city.

Not only was there a food shortage, but the military equipment in the city was also almost completely destroyed. As the commander-in-chief, he didn't even have a complete set of armor.

They had to make do with swords and spears picked up from the Northern Wei people, and as for arrows, there was not a single one left.

Desperate situation.

Jubei City has reached a desperate situation.

After more than a month of hard defense, only less than 3,000 of the 30,000 elite Northern Army soldiers were left.

Xu Guangda couldn't understand why no one came to support him, even if it was just a grain of food or a weapon.

however.

Nothing at all.

The people who were sent out disappeared without a trace, like a stone sinking into the sea.

"Brothers, it looks like we are really going to die here."

Xu Guangda smiled bitterly, struggled to stand up, and looked at those blurred faces, feeling unspeakable pain in his heart.

He understands.

I was given up.

The entire Northern Army was abandoned.

The 30,000 brothers were also abandoned by the Zhenbei Marquis to whom they were loyal. Xu Guangda was the third commander of the Northern Army. Although he had not been here for long, he was obviously more popular than Pan Feng.

For at least this month, he and his 30,000 comrades shared the joys and sorrows.

Dawn of the second day.

There were only more than a thousand Northern Army left defending Beicheng. In one night, the Northern Wei army attacked the city several times.

Xu Guangda gathered the remaining thousand or so comrades on the north city wall. In the distance, thick smoke was rising from the Northern Wei army's camp. The fragrance was so faint that it could not be smelled, but it made them swallow their saliva unconsciously.

“How many days have we been guarding?”

Xu Guangda couldn't even stand up.

"Forty-two days."

The soldier beside him thought for a moment and answered.

"Forty-two days."

Xu Guangda laughed bitterly: "That's enough."

"Our Northern Army is worthy of the Marquis and Jizhou."

He said, "There are still a thousand war horses. I left them here on purpose. You can go now."

"Get out of Xicheng and head west to Xiliang. Don't go back to Jizhou."

After saying this, Xu Guangda showed a look of relief on his face.

He has been in the Jizhou army for more than ten years, and has fought his way up to his current position step by step through his military exploits from a small soldier.

But he never imagined that one day he would become an abandoned pawn.

The figure of a man unconsciously emerged in Xu Guangda's mind.

Xiliang Hou Xiao Han.

The former commander of the Northern Army.

That Qingzhou created the elite forces of the Northern Palace, led 30,000 elite cavalry, fought in the south and the north, and faced crises in the Zhou Dynasty, and made great contributions to the Xie Ziqi.

However, the five hundred cavalry were forced to flee to Xiliang.

At this moment.

Xu Guangda felt somewhat the same way.

He looked at the more than a thousand comrades who had survived the attack on the top of the city wall. All of them were injured, and many even had broken arms and legs.

What brave warriors from Jizhou.

Thirty thousand men blocked the Northern Wei army of 150,000 for more than 40 days. His eyes were wet, soaked with blood on his face.

These good men should not die here. They should at least leave some spark for the Northern Army.

"One incompetent general can lead to the death of the entire army."

"Brothers, it is my incompetence that has dragged you down."

He looked at his comrades, and in their eyes, there was still a light that had never dimmed.

"Let's go and leave some sparks for the Northern Army."

"Jizhou can no longer accommodate the Northern Army. Go to Xiliang, find the general, and continue to follow the Marquis of Xiliang."

Xu Guangda leaned against the wall behind him, supported himself with both hands, and stood up with his last bit of strength. He bowed to the soldiers and said, "I, Xu Guangda, am most proud of this life. It is that I have the honor to be the commander of the Northern Army and to be able to kill the Northern Wei barbarians in Jubei City with 30,000 brothers."

"General."

The soldiers around him all had tears in their eyes and knelt on one knee: "General, please come with us."

"I can't leave."

Xu Guangda shook his head: "My Lord, you have been very kind to me. I will stay for dinner and live and die with Jubei City."

"You go, take the Northern Army's banner to Xiliang. If you have the chance in the future, remember to kill more Northern Wei barbarians for me."

"General."

The more than a thousand soldiers were in tears and sighed endlessly.

(End of this chapter)