The fiercest soldier of the border army

Tang Shun looked at the thatched hut in the city, where Li Lang was still lying for several days.

Li Lang was killed on Wang Xianghong's orders. All nine of Tang Shun's brothers who refused to follow him were imprisoned in earthen cages and killed as a sacrifice to the flag before their departure.

He bribed the guards to escape, but was then chased and nearly died on the way.

Wei Zong paused for a moment before answering, "It's nothing serious, just a cut on my leg, it won't heal that quickly."

Tang Shun nodded. "Let's go and see. The one who can break the deadlock might just be him."

The people below the city were crowded together. Tang Shun, accompanied by Wei Zong, walked into Li Lang's tent, facing the angry and suspicious gazes of the crowd.

Li Lang's tent was located in the western part of the city. It was low and dilapidated, with a half-length straw curtain hanging to shield him from the wind and rain.

Tang Shun lifted the curtain and went in, and a smell of medicine mixed with a sour stench hit him.

Li Lang was lying on a pile of dry hay, his one eye open, staring at the sunlight filtering through the roof.

Upon seeing Tang Shun arrive, he hurriedly struggled to his feet and said, "Team Leader."

Tang Shun nodded, looking at the still-exposed knife scar on his leg. "How's the injury?"

"It's alright now." Li Lang's voice was hoarse, and he lowered his head, seemingly afraid to look at Tang Shun. "Thank you, Captain, for saving my life."

"Enough with this nonsense, Li Lang. I'll trust you one more time." Tang Shun waved his hand, stopping him from continuing. "Go on horseback to Datong City and ask for help."

Wei Zong was astonished, never expecting that Tang Shun's solution to break the deadlock was to ask for help.

But why would the general in Datong risk leaving the city for the sake of so many civilians?

That's unrealistic!

"The Xiongnu have opened the south gate; they're fishing. If you ride a fast horse alone, they won't go to much trouble."

"Go directly to Commander Wang Jinda and tell him that his beloved nephew, Wang Xianghong, is trapped in Xiushui Town and is struggling to survive."

"If we don't send reinforcements soon, I'm afraid Captain Wang's chances of survival are slim!"

Wei Zong's expression changed drastically, and he urgently stopped him, "Squad Leader, you mustn't!"

"If the Commander-in-Chief arrives and finds that Commander Wang is not in the city, you will likely be charged with falsely conveying military orders!"

"Wang Xiaowei's fate is currently unknown. If the Commander-in-Chief can break through the Xiongnu army's formation and rescue Wang Xiaowei..."

"I'm afraid..." Wei Zong hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth, "Captain Wang is vindictive and will punish us for harming our colleagues!"

Li Lang stared blankly at Tang Shun; he had roughly heard what Tang Shun had said.

Tang Shun chuckled, "If my death could save the entire fortress, it would be worth it."

"There's no time to lose, you must set off immediately!"

Li Lang took a deep breath, never expecting that the squad leader in front of him would have such a broad mind.

Filled with remorse, he suddenly knelt down, bowing his head to the ground. "Don't worry, Captain, as long as I have a breath left, I will deliver this message!"

Tang Shun did not linger and led Wei Zong out through the curtain.

A large crowd of people gathered outside the tent.

Cheng Feng walked over and said, "The south gate is sealed off. Zhu Hang and his men are guarding it there. No one can force their way in."

Tang Shun hummed in agreement.

"I told the people that going out meant certain death, but they didn't believe me."

Cheng Feng gritted his teeth, "They said we'd use them as scapegoats, that you'd planned to abandon the city and leave long ago, just waiting to slip away at night."

"Some people say... you made a pact with the Xiongnu and deliberately trapped everyone here to die."

Tang Shun did not move.

He didn't even need to go to the south wall to know that it was a huge trap.

If only one or two people were to go out, the Xiongnu would most likely let them go without hesitation.

If they travel in large groups, they will be met with the iron hooves and scimitars of the Huns.

This is "fishing".

The Xiongnu were neither in a hurry to attack nor did they actually retreat.

They opened the south gate, and perhaps even let one or two people go, just to convince the people in the city that they had left.

As long as more people try to escape, they will be shot dead outside.

Tang Shun knew exactly how ruthless this plan was.

He turned around and walked towards the south gate.

When the people saw him come out, they surrounded him, layer upon layer, their faces covered with muddy marks from a mixture of sweat and tears.

An old man rushed forward, knelt down, and kowtowed, pleading, "Squad leader! Let us go! The north gate is about to be leveled; if we don't leave now, it will be too late!"

"Yes! Heading south, we can survive even if we have to cross the mountains!"

"My whole family is here; we can't let our lineage die out! I'm letting down our ancestors!"

"If you're not leaving, you can stay! Don't stop us from living!"

The sounds were a chaotic jumble, like boiling water in a pot.

Liang Enyi and his men stood by the door, their swords drawn, hands on the hilts, their eyes sweeping across the room. No one dared to rush forward, but they kept talking.

Tang Shun raised his hand.

The crowd quieted down a bit.

He stood on the steps, speaking each word carefully, "Do you really think you can survive just by going out?"

Do you think two legs can outrun four legs?

No one answered.

"The Xiongnu cavalrymen each carried a horse and could travel eight hundred li a day."

"You go out unarmed, the elderly, women, and children are weak and have been starving for days. If you walk ten miles, who of you will be able to stand still?"

A young man shouted hoarsely, "But there's no one at the south gate! They've really left!"

"They're gone?" Tang Shun sneered. "They stormed the north gate but left the south gate open. You believe they've left?"

"What's in this city? Gold or silver? Besides people, what's left?"

"If the Xiongnu weren't targeting us, what else could they be targeting?"

These words silenced the crowd slightly, but they were still unwilling to accept it.

"Then what are we supposed to do? Just wait to die?!" someone yelled.

Tang Shun smiled and said no more, "Then you can go."

"Open the south gate, and let those who want to leave go."

"Those who don't want to leave, come with me to the south gate city wall and see if they can escape!"

The people were stunned when these words were spoken.

Their restlessness seemed to have subsided considerably.

It's better to guide than to block.

Tang Shun knew the Xiongnu's purpose and also knew what the people were thinking.

He told the people about the Xiongnu's intentions and then gave them freedom.

Only then will the common people believe that going out will really lead to death.

Blindly imposing pressure will only have the opposite effect.

"Is...is this real?"

"Squad leader, you're not going to stop us anymore? You're really letting us go?"

Tang Shun shook his head. "Those who want to leave, leave."

A young man, his face flushed with excitement, tugged at his elderly father, "Dad, he's letting us go! Let's hurry!"

The elderly father, his hair and beard completely white, didn't move an inch. He flung open the young man's sleeve and roared, "Are you an idiot?"

"The Huns have left such a huge pit outside, and you're still dragging me to my death?"

The young man was stunned. "Father..."

The grumbling and cursing of the people gradually faded away.

They hesitated, wanting to take a step to escape, yet wavering.

Tang Shun's words struck them like a heavy hammer.

Tang Shun looked at these people, his eyes showing neither anger nor pity.

He knew they were afraid, so afraid their bones were trembling.

He also knew that once the sandbags reached six zhang (approximately 33 meters) in height, the city would be finished.

But there have been enough explanations already. From entering the city to defending it, and now, the people have all given their own opinions, so there's no point in saying anything more.

"The Huns are coming again! Defend the city! Defend the city!"

The soldiers guarding the city shouted at the top of their lungs and urgently struck the gongs and drums.

The thunderous sound of hooves thundered as the horses came rolling in once more.

"I forgot to tell you!"

Tang Shun's voice, brimming with energy, drowned out the sound of hooves outside the city: "Reinforcements will arrive tomorrow!"

"If you actively defend the city and hold out until tomorrow, you will naturally survive."

"If someone is passively slacking off, even a miracle won't save them!"

Tang Shun turned and strode towards the city wall. "Those who want to live, come with me and continue defending the city!"

At his command, the soldiers beside him followed Tang Shun as he ascended the city wall once more.

Many of the local militia hesitated for a moment, gritted their teeth, and returned to the front lines.

The Xiongnu remained the same, charging forward one after another, dropping their bags and retreating in unison, their movements measured and calm.

The corpse underneath was no longer visible.

In a few more hours, the cavalry will be able to leap onto the wall.

Tang Shun turned his head and looked towards the south gate.

The south gate quietly opened at that moment.

A figure lay on a donkey cart, which slowly drove out of the city...