The Golden Family, rising from the Western Regions

Chapter 421 The Empire's Eastern Expedition, the Dividing Fate at the Border Fortress

The morning mist had not yet dissipated when two Jin soldiers were chatting idly on the earthen wall of the Wuyue Camp, their necks hunched over.

The soldier on the left wrapped his gray cloth armor tighter around himself and yawned: "This damn weather, it's probably going to rain heavily in another half month. I wonder how long we can hold out against this broken mud wall."

The soldier on the right, chewing on a dry, hard wheat cake, mumbled, "We'll hold out until the Ming army retreats!"

“The location of Wusha Fort is the most important. Our Wuyue Camp is just a grain depot. If the Ming army wants to attack, they should attack Wusha Fort first. It's not our turn…”

Before he could finish speaking, a deep rumble suddenly came from afar, like thunder rolling across the sky, making the earthen wall beneath his feet tremble slightly.

"Boom boom boom~"

The two of them froze, stopping what they were doing, and looked in the direction from which the voice came from: "What's going on? Is it really going to rain?"

The roar grew closer and louder, and gradually a dense mass of figures emerged from the mist.

The first thing that catches the eye is a golden sun and moon battle flag, fluttering in the morning breeze like a burning flame.

Immediately afterwards, yellow, white, and blue armor merged into one, like a three-colored torrent, surging towards the Wuyue Camp.

The three armies stretched for dozens of miles. The vanguard had already reached three miles outside Wuyue Camp, while the rearguard was still shrouded in mist and could not be seen in its entirety.

"Hooho~"

"Ho ho ho~"

"Kill! Kill! Kill!"

It is unclear who uttered the first shout, but soon the shouts of tens of thousands of soldiers merged into one, pressing down on the Wuyue Camp like a tsunami.

The neighing of warhorses, the shouts of soldiers, and the clanging of armor intertwined, creating an irresistible aura that seemed poised to devour the entire Wuyue Camp along with the surrounding land.

The Jin soldiers on the earthen wall stared in disbelief, some dropping their weapons and trembling, unable to utter a word.

They had never seen such a vast army formation, nor had they ever felt such a terrifying sense of oppression.

"Ming...Ming army, the Ming army is here." The soldier on the left was terrified, his face pale and his voice trembling.

The soldier on the right hurriedly stuffed the wheat cake in his hand into his pocket and frantically struck the warning gong. The rapid clanging of the gong instantly resounded throughout the entire camp.

"what sound?"

"what's going on?"

"It's the Ming army! The Ming army is here! Quickly, get to the city wall!"

"Damn it, why are the Ming army here at Wuyue Camp?"

The Jin soldiers were thrown into chaos instantly, some frantically moving the logs and stones used to guard the city.

Some even tried to sneak back to the rear of the camp, while others huddled in a corner with their weapons, trembling all over.

The garrison commander, Wanyan Lie, charged out with his scimitar, his face so grim it could drip water. He kicked over a soldier who was running around aimlessly and gave a stern order.

"Hold on tight! The Ming army is just bluffing. Hold Wuyue Camp and the court will reward you handsomely. Anyone who dares to flee will suffer the consequences."

Killing one person is not enough; making an example of someone is not a perfect solution.

He directly had several soldiers who were usually honest and unassuming, had no connections, and were often bullied.

He shouted loudly, "You deserters, how dare you try to run away when the Ming army is attacking, thus disrupting the morale of the army!"

"Men, execute him on the spot."

Before the soldiers could explain, a flash of light appeared, and blood splattered on the earthen wall.

The other soldiers dared not make any further moves, their eyes filled with fear as they watched the Ming army getting closer and closer outside the wall.

Wanyan Lie watched this scene with satisfaction, then roared at his personal guards, "Quickly, go and inform the commander-in-chief that the Ming army's main attack direction is Wuyue Camp."

"Have the commander send reinforcements immediately, or the Wuyue Camp will be unable to hold out."

The guards received the order, mounted their horses, and galloped towards the command tent at the border trench defense line.

Before the Ming army's ranks, beneath the golden sun and moon battle banners, Li Xiao, clad in dark gold dragon-patterned armor and wearing a golden-tasseled helmet, rode on his black horse, his telescope firmly locked onto the earthen wall of the Wuyue Camp.

The Imperial Guards surrounding him were clad in yellow cloth armor, carrying long spears, and stood in neat formation, protecting him like an impregnable wall.

Jin Dao, who was standing next to him, was also wearing armor and looked puzzled: "Father, weren't we supposed to be attacking Wusha Fortress? Why did the Wuyue Camp suddenly appear?"

Li Xiao continued to observe the Wuyue Camp's defense line with his clairvoyance, and explained softly, "The art of war lies in using deception and realism to keep the enemy guessing about our true intentions."

"Duji Sizhong thinks we will attack Wushabao, but we will do the opposite. Wuyue Camp has stockpiled a large amount of grain for the Jin army. Does he dare to gamble?"

“But if he really thinks we’re going to attack Wuyue Camp, then he’s been tricked.”

No sooner had he finished speaking than a guard rode up on horseback and shouted, "Your Majesty, the Commander of the Guards has sent someone to report that the vanguard army has already assembled in front of the battle lines and is ready to launch an attack at any time."

Li Xiao nodded slightly, his gaze returning to the Wuyue Camp, his tone becoming firm: "Pass down the order, attack."

"Uuuuuu——"

A mournful bugle call suddenly rang out, carrying far through the morning mist.

At the front of the battle, Wei Xuan, clad in white armor with red trim, reined in his warhorse and shouted in a cold, sharp voice, "Shenji Battalion, fire!"

At the front of the army, twenty cannons were neatly arranged, their muzzles black, already aimed at the earthen wall of the Wuyue Camp.

The commander of the Shenji Battalion drew his cavalry sword, his voice echoing across the battlefield: "Brothers, fire the cannons!"

"Boom boom boom boom——"

Twenty cannons roared simultaneously, flames shooting into the sky, and cannonballs flew towards the Wuyue Camp like meteors with sharp whistles.

The Jin soldiers on the earthen wall were so frightened that they scattered and hid. Some were even knocked to the ground by the shockwave of the cannon fire. No one had ever seen such a terrifying weapon.

"Ah, my legs!"

Just as a Jin soldier took cover behind the wall, he was struck in the knee by shrapnel from a cannonball, his screams filled with agony.

Another soldier was a little slower and was hit directly by a shell, and never moved again.

Screams and cries echoed from the earthen wall, turning what was once a fairly orderly defensive line into a living hell in an instant.

Meanwhile, in the Jin army camp, Duji Sizhong was frowning as he looked at the troop deployment map when a messenger rushed in, covered in sweat, knelt on one knee, and cried out, "General, something terrible has happened!"

"The Ming army is launching a fierce attack on Wuyue Camp. Their artillery fire is too intense, and our soldiers simply cannot hold them off."

"What?" Duji Sizhong suddenly stood up, looking incredulous.

"Why would the Ming army attack Wuyue Camp? That's where our army's provisions are stored."

"Damn it, someone must have leaked the information."

"Who is it?"

The messenger trembled with fear and quickly shook his head: "I didn't know... the Ming army came too suddenly."

"Judging from the formation, it seems to be the First Garrison Army personally led by Li Xiao; even the Imperial Guards in yellow armor are here!"

"Those cunning barbarians from the northern frontier deserve to die." Dujisi Zhong's face turned ashen with anger, but now was not the time to investigate the leak of information.

"Pass down the order: I will personally lead 30,000 central troops to immediately support Wuyue Camp and ensure the supply of provisions."

In the afternoon, Duji Sizhong led 5,000 cavalry to arrive first, while the remaining 20,000 infantry would have to wait until the next day.

He reined in his horse and watched as the Ming army's cannons continued to roar, and the Ming army charged towards the earthen wall like a tidal wave.

He felt both angry and heartbroken as his own soldiers suffered heavy casualties under artillery fire and charges.

"Prepare the crossbows, fire!" Wei Xuan's voice rang out from the Ming army's front lines.

Thousands of crossbowmen simultaneously pulled their triggers, and arrows rained down on the Jin army like a storm, the dense rain of arrows blotting out the sky, like a locust swarm passing through.

Before a Jin cavalryman could even raise his shield, he was struck by three arrows at the same time and fell off his horse.

Duji Sizhong gasped as he watched this scene.

The military industrial strength of the Ming Dynasty was terrifying. The range and power of the Shenbi crossbow far exceeded that of the Jin Dynasty's bows and arrows, and the fact that they dared to launch such a large-scale volley showed that the Ming army had an ample supply of arrows.

Add to that the incredibly powerful cannons, and the fact that everyone is fully armored—how am I supposed to resist such an army?

The bloody battle lasted for two days. The earthen walls of the Wuyue Camp were already stained red with blood, and the corpses were piled up like mountains. The Jin soldiers were replaced one batch after another.

Standing on the high ground outside the camp, Duji Sizhong looked at the Ming soldiers who were still full of energy and could already conclude that the Ming army's real purpose was to break through Wuyue Camp and cut off the Jin army's supply lines.

He gritted his teeth and ordered his personal guards: "Order the garrison troops of Wushabao, Changzhou, and Fuzhou to each send 10,000 troops to immediately support Wuyue Camp."

“Tell them that if Wuyue Camp is lost, we will all starve to death on the border trench defense line.”

Five days later, 30,000 reinforcements arrived one after another, and the defenses of Wuyue Camp instantly became extremely tight.

Under Duji Sizhong's orders, the Jin soldiers not only dug a large number of pits behind the earthen wall as shelters, but also piled up the corpses of dead soldiers in front of them to block the arrows and cannonballs of the Ming army.

The Ming army's cannons and crossbows could still take many lives, but the Jin army was larger in number, and reinforcements were quickly sent to replace them, making their defense increasingly tenacious.

That evening, the bugle call of the Ming army sounded again, and the attacking soldiers retreated like a tide. Although the earthen walls of Wuyue Camp were riddled with holes, they were still firmly in the hands of the Jin army.

Duji Sizhong stood on the earthen wall, watching the Ming army retreat, and suddenly burst into laughter: "The barbarians of the northern frontier, in the end, couldn't hold on any longer."

The Ming army had come from afar, and their supplies were certainly insufficient, while the Jin army had greater numbers and the advantage of playing on home ground.

Therefore, Duji Sizhong has made a decision: "We will wear them down at Wuyue Camp and make this place their graveyard."

The next morning, Duji Sizhong arrived early at the earthen wall, waiting for the Ming army to launch a new attack.

But even when the sun was high in the sky, it was still quiet outside the city, and there wasn't a soul in sight.

He frowned, wondering, "Could it be that the Ming army is exhausted from the continuous sieges and needs a day of rest?"

If that's the case, it would be a good thing for the Jin army.

Duji Sizhong hurriedly ordered his men to tighten the defenses.

Meanwhile, fifty miles away in Wusha Fort, the garrison was chatting idly, their faces full of relief.

One soldier took a sip of wine and said smugly, "We're lucky. The Ming army has gone to attack the Wuyue Camp."

"I heard the fighting over there is fierce; the corpses are piled up higher than earthen walls." "Our Wusha Fortress is safe now."

Another soldier chimed in, "That's right! The commander-in-chief personally led reinforcements to Wuyue Camp; the Ming army is definitely not going to get away with this."

"Once the Ming army retreats, we can finally have a few days of rest."

Just then, a deep rumble suddenly came from afar.

"Boom boom boom~"

The soldiers' smiles froze instantly as they looked in the direction from which the sound came from, puzzled.

Immediately afterwards, a shell flew in with a "whoosh" and slammed heavily against the earthen wall of Wusha Fort. Debris flew everywhere, and two soldiers who were chatting had no time to dodge. They were hit directly by the debris and fell into a pool of blood on the spot.

“Ming...Ming army, it’s the Ming army.”

A soldier pointed to the distant grassland, his voice filled with extreme panic.

Everyone looked in that direction and saw the outlines of a large number of Ming soldiers on the grassland. Their yellow, white, and blue armor stretched out like a vast sea, seemingly endless.

The golden sun and moon battle banner fluttered in the wind, and countless cannons were aimed at Wusha Fort, with booming sounds coming from all directions, and cannonballs rained down on the earthen walls.

"Quickly, prepare for battle! The Ming army is attacking!"

The defending general reacted and shouted at the top of his lungs, but his voice was quickly drowned out by the roar of the cannons.

"Boom boom boom~"

The soldiers were terrified; some fled in panic, clutching their weapons, while others collapsed to the ground, trembling uncontrollably.

"Help~"

"My ears can't hear anymore."

"Don't panic, don't run, hold off the Ming army!"

The garrison was in chaos. They couldn't understand how the Ming army, which was clearly in Wuyue Camp, could suddenly appear in Wusha Fort.
Could the attack by the Wuyue Camp have been merely a tactic by the Ming army to lure the enemy away from their base?

In the distance, on the Ming army's front line, Li Xiao rode his black horse, watching the panicked Jin soldiers, a cold smile appearing on his lips.

Jin Dao, standing beside him, suddenly realized and excitedly said, "Father, I understand now. Your feigned attack on Wuyue Camp was to lure away the Jin army's reinforcements, and then take the opportunity to attack Wusha Fort, which was left with few troops."

Li Xiao nodded, his tone tinged with approval: "That's right. Duji Sizhong thought that by holding Wuyue Camp, he could protect the supply lines, but he didn't expect that our real target has always been Wusha Fort."

"If we take Wushabao, the Jin army's border trench defenses will be breached, and then we can drive straight in and completely break the Jin army's backbone."

The Ming army consisted entirely of cavalry, which were more mobile and could quickly move from Wuyue Camp to Wusha Fort.

However, the Jin army had few cavalry, and it would take the infantry a great deal of time to arrive.

Moreover, the infantry's physical strength was greatly depleted during the rapid march, leaving them unable to exert much combat effectiveness.

"Boom boom boom~"

The roar of cannons continued, the earthen walls of Wusha Fort trembled under the barrage of fire, and the screams of the Jin soldiers rose and fell.

This two-pronged attack not only disrupted the Jin army's plans but also completely shattered their confidence.

On the earthen wall of Wuyue Camp, Duji Sizhong squinted as he observed the movements of the Ming army camp. The morning breeze blew his battle robe, but it could not dispel the smugness between his brows.

After the Ming army withdrew yesterday, the camp was quiet, but the sounds of people and horses could be faintly heard. He became more and more convinced that the Ming army was short of food and could only rest temporarily.

If they had persisted, the Ming army would have had no choice but to retreat in the end.

But just then, a personal guard rushed over, his face ashen, his voice trembling terribly: "General, no... something bad has happened."

"Urgent report from Wusha Fort: The Ming army... the Ming army is launching a fierce attack on Wusha Fort."

"what?"

Duji Sizhong's smile froze on his face instantly, and he stood there stunned as if struck by lightning.

He grabbed his personal guard by the collar, his eyes fierce yet filled with disbelief: "What nonsense are you talking about? The main force of the Ming army is right under our noses, how could they possibly be attacking Wusha Fort?"

"It must be a detachment of the Ming army, trying to feint an attack in one direction while striking in another."

The guard, struggling to breathe from being choked, managed to say, "It's...it's true."

"The garrison commander of Wusha Fort sent someone to break through the siege and report that the Ming army outside the city is as vast as the sea, and there is the roar of cannons. It looks like... it looks like the main force of the Ming army!"

Duji Sizhong let go of her hand, staggered back two steps, and felt a complete mess in his mind.

He simply couldn't believe that the Wuyue Camp, which he had so carefully guarded, might just be a decoy for the Ming army.

"No, I have to confirm it myself."

He gritted his teeth and ordered his deputy general, "Immediately dispatch ten scout teams to investigate the Ming army camp and the direction of Wusha Fort, and make sure to find out the whereabouts of the main Ming army force."

Beyond the border trenches lay the territory of the Ming army. The Ming cavalry, like a noose, swiftly strangled and killed the Jin scouts.

Under normal circumstances, if one out of ten Jin army units went out, it would be considered good if one of them returned.

But there was no time to worry about that now. Duji Sizhong's voice was tinged with impatience, "If we don't find out the situation, we'll be played to death by the Ming army sooner or later. Go quickly."

The deputy general immediately went to make arrangements, promising great rewards, and selected ten small teams to go to the border.

Duji Sizhong stood on the earthen wall, looking in the direction of the Ming army camp, his heart filled with unease.

He both hoped that the scouts would bring back news that "the main force of the Ming army is still intact," and felt vaguely uneasy, as if he had fallen into a huge trap.

Unexpectedly, all ten scout teams returned in less than an hour.

The scout captain dismounted and knelt on the ground, his voice heavy: "General, something terrible has happened! The Ming army camp is empty."

"Only a small number of soldiers were left inside to make noise, and many scarecrows were planted in the camp. From a distance, it looked like a large army was stationed there."

"An empty camp?" Duji Sizhong's heart sank, and a chill ran from the soles of his feet to the top of his head.

He staggered and sat down on the battlements, his vision blurring. He wished all ten squads would die outside the city.

In this way, he could at least cling to a sliver of hope, and at least prove that the main force of the Ming army was still outside the border.

But now...

"Luring the tiger away from the mountain...it was actually a luring the tiger away from the mountain."

Duji Sizhong slammed his fist heavily against the earthen wall: "Li Xiao, you barbarian from the northern frontier, how dare you play me! I'm going to kill you!"

After the anger came a deep sense of panic.

Wusha Fort is a key part of the border trench defense line, but with only 20,000 defenders, it is no match for the main force of the Ming army!

Once it falls, the entire defensive line will collapse completely.

He must immediately provide support to Wusha Fort.

But then he hesitated, wondering if this was another Ming army trick.
What if Li Xiao's real target is still the Wuyue Camp, and he's waiting for Li Xiao to transfer his troops away so he can take advantage of the situation and attack?
Haven't I been tricked twice?

"General, we can't wait any longer. Wusha Fort won't hold out for long," the lieutenant said urgently.

Duji Sizhong took a deep breath and gritted his teeth to make a decision: "Alright, I will personally lead men to support Wusha Fort, but to prevent falling into the trap of luring the enemy away from their stronghold again, I will only bring 10,000 cavalry and 10,000 infantry, and the rest will continue to guard Wuyue Camp."

Half an hour later, 20,000 Jin soldiers rushed toward Wusha Fort.

Inside Wusha Fortress, the battle had reached its climax.

Commander Da Hu of the Eighth Garrison, who was in charge of the vanguard attack, stood at the forefront of the battlefield, wearing blue armor with red trim. He pointed his saber at the earthen wall and shouted loudly.

"Warriors of the Ming Dynasty, charge! Take Wusha Fortress and you will be rewarded with a hundred silver coins."

The Ming army's cannons continued to roar, and cannonballs rained down on the Jin army's positions, filling the air with smoke and dust.

A thousand crossbowmen simultaneously pulled their triggers, unleashing a rain of arrows that blotted out the sky and felled swathes of Jin soldiers who attempted to retaliate.

The heavy infantry, armed with shields and spears, climbed the earthen wall step by step.

Their shields were covered with arrows and sword marks, but they still couldn't stop their advance.

"Kill them! Don't give the Jin dogs a chance to breathe!" A heavy infantryman was the first to climb the earthen wall, and his spear pierced the chest of a Jin soldier.

The heavy infantry that followed surged up the earthen wall like a tide. Some used their spears to stab the Jin soldiers until they bled profusely, while others used their shields to knock the Jin soldiers away, only to be finished off by their comrades.

Some Jin soldiers, seeing the situation was dire, turned and ran, shouting, "Run! The Ming army is too fierce, we can't hold out!"

The Jin soldiers on the earthen wall screamed and cried out, some even trying to climb over the wall to escape.

"I want to go home, I will never fight again."

Throughout Wusha Fort, corpses and blood were everywhere. The once-solid defensive line was breached in an instant under the fierce attack of the Ming army, just like a dam that had burst.

When Duji Sizhong led 10,000 cavalrymen to charge over, they ran right into the routed Jin soldiers.

Looking at the chaotic scene before him, his eyes were filled with fear and anger. He drew his scimitar and slashed at a fleeing Jin soldier, shouting, "Don't run away! Go back and hold off the Ming army!"

"Anyone who tries to escape will have their entire family wiped out by the imperial court."

But his intimidation was of no use. The defeated soldiers, like a flock of frightened sheep, scattered in all directions, some even colliding with the reinforcements he had brought.

Upon seeing the arrival of the Jin reinforcements, the Ming army immediately dispatched a portion of its forces to meet them. Cannons and crossbows roared once more, and the Jin reinforcements suffered heavy casualties in an instant.

“It’s over…it’s all over…” Duji Sizhong watched as the number of soldiers around him dwindled and the Ming army drew ever closer, a sense of despair welling up inside him.

He knew that Wusha Fort had fallen, and reinforcements were powerless to reverse the situation. Staying there would only be a pointless death.

"Retreat, retreat quickly!" Duji Sizhong had lost his previous ferocity and led the remaining soldiers in a disheveled escape towards Yehuling.

Behind him, the sounds of Ming soldiers chasing and cannon fire echoed continuously, like a death knell, making him dare not turn around.

On the earthen wall of Wusha Fort, Da Hu stood beneath the Sun and Moon Battle Banner, watching the retreating figures of the Jin army, and laughed loudly: "Warriors of the Ming Dynasty, we have taken Wusha Fort. Next, it will be Zhongdu."

"The Ming army is mighty!"

Long live the Ming Dynasty!

(End of this chapter)