The fiercest soldier of the border army

As dusk fell, sandstorms swept across the north wall, feeling like knives scraping against one's cheeks.

Tang Shun stood on the north city wall platform, his gaze fixed on the slowly advancing dark shadow outside the city.

Bag after bag of sand was being carried on the backs of the Xiongnu cavalry and piled up along the slope toward the base of the city wall. The pace was slow, but the steady movement made one's heart clench.

"Cheng Feng!"

Tang Shun roared, "Don't use rolling logs or stones! Shoot arrows everywhere, aim for the horses' legs!"

"I don't seek to kill the enemy, I only seek to slow them down!"

Cheng Feng responded loudly from afar, "Yes!"

"Liang Enyi!"

"Incorporate all those who can still move into the team, with three shifts rotating, changing shifts every time an incense stick burns."

"Whoever can't lift their arms, go lie down in the straw shed, and no crying or wailing!"

"Wei Zong! How many arrows are left?"

"Less than two thousand." Wei Zong strode closer. "At this rate, it'll be empty in two hours."

Tang Shun stared at the rows of cavalrymen running back and forth outside the North Gate.

Each time, sandbags would rush up, be put down, and then retreat, their movements as practiced as if they were moving their own granary.

"Have the people in the rear help wrap the arrows in cloth and soak them in oil!"

"The old and weak pass the arrows, the brave guard the town, all shoot at the horses!"

Wei Zong immediately sprang into action, shouting towards the people on the south side of the parapet, "Wrap your arrows!"

Several local militiamen dragged out a pottery jar, pried open the lid, and a strong smell of tung oil smoke wafted out.

They dipped the arrowheads in oil, wrapped them with coarse cloth strips, and arranged them one by one on a wooden frame.

The torch was brought closer, and the strip of cloth burst into flames with a "whoosh," the flames shooting up half a foot high.

Of the first volley of rockets fired, three missed their mark, one stuck in a sandbag and started smoking, and only two hit the horse's rump squarely.

The warhorse reared up suddenly, neighing and thrashing about, throwing the sandbags on its back to the ground.

The rider cursed and jumped off, drawing his scimitar and slapping the horse's legs to stop it from running away.

This commotion also brought the rest of the line to a halt.

"Again," Tang Shun ordered.

Ten rockets were launched simultaneously, and this time they were more accurate.

The two horses burst into flames and charged forward like madmen, knocking over three of their companions who were unloading bags.

Horns sounded in the Xiongnu ranks, and some began to drive away the frightened horses, while others carried the corpses and retreated.

The rate at which the sandbags were being piled up slowed down significantly.

Tang Shun didn't laugh; he knew this was only temporary.

The power of kerosene is limited; it can only cause pain to the horses, but it is far from enough to frighten them.

The horses were driven, and as long as the Xiongnu people were not afraid of death, the horses would not stop.

As long as the wall isn't high enough, they can keep piling it up.

Tang Shun walked down from the watchtower and patrolled eastward along the parapet.

Along the way, the local militiamen huddled behind walls, panting. Some were clutching bows and arrows, their arms trembling, while others were swinging their arms wildly.

When an ordinary person draws a bow, they will feel their muscles stiffen after just a few arrows.

Cheng Feng stood guard atop the most dangerous city gate, his arms bulging with veins, firing arrow after arrow, each one carrying a flame, straight towards the hooves of the Xiongnu horses.

He clenched his teeth, not stopping even as his arms trembled.

Tang Shun stepped forward and said, "Go and rest for a while."

"I'm not tired," Cheng Feng gritted his teeth. "We can't let our guard down now."

"I'm not telling you to rest, I'm telling you to save your energy for fighting with your knives." Tang Shun patted his shoulder. "They're about to climb up."

Cheng Feng grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth: "Kill them one by one."

Tang Shun continued walking forward, and when he reached the middle section, he saw Liang Enyi directing several women to tie strips of cloth to the arrow shafts.

They were in a flurry of activity, but no one stopped.

A young woman burned her finger on the hot oil, pulled her hand back, and immediately grabbed the next arrow.

He walked to the middle of the north gate again and stood still.

Before them was a slope made of sandbags and corpses, which was already four zhang above the ground, and the top was only a little over one zhang away from the parapet.

Suddenly, one of the local militiamen shouted, "They've started pulling the cart!"

Tang Shun squinted and looked into the distance. In the shadows, there were more than a dozen two-wheeled wooden carts being pulled by horses, and they were piled with sandbags.

These vehicles were originally used to transport grain, but they have now been converted into siege engines!

"Concentrate the rockets, hail a taxi!" Tang Shun roared.

When the Xiongnu saw that the fire arrows were shooting at their horses and slowing their progress, they stopped transporting the goods by horse in small groups.

They pushed their carts, lined up in a row, and held up their large shields, forming a long wall of shields.

The Xiongnu people below the wall rushed up at the same time to unload the bags.

In an instant, progress was rapid!

Even if you're only a little over one person tall, you can still touch the top of the wall!

Some people had already started throwing boulders, but the Xiongnu barbarians under their shields held them back firmly.

Tang Shun turned around and called out, "Wei Zong!"

Wei Zong ran over from the other side, his face pale. "Squad leader, we can't keep using fire arrows to suppress them."

Before the words were finished, a bugle call suddenly sounded outside the North Gate.

It wasn't the scattered horn sounds from before, but rather deep, resonant bugle calls, one after another.

All the cavalrymen who were carrying the load stopped at the same time and retreated quickly.

Those who carried shields, pulled carts, and carried sacks all retreated a hundred paces away and lined up in neat formations.

Under the torchlight, countless figures stood motionless.

The sandbag slope has stopped growing.

The city wall was deathly silent.

Even his heavy breathing could no longer be heard.

Tang Shun slowly raised his hand, signaling everyone to be quiet.

He stood behind the parapet, leaning half his body out to observe.

The enemy formation did not move, nor did they shout.

Only the bugle call continued to sound, its rhythm slow and oppressive.

"What are they doing?" Cheng Feng asked in a low voice.

"Change the personnel," Tang Shun said. "The herdsmen were carrying bags in front; now we're bringing in real cavalry."

Cheng Feng's breath hitched, and he unconsciously gripped the bow and arrow in his hand tighter.

In an instant, all was silent.

Immediately afterwards, the sound of horses' hooves rose, carrying a crushing force.

From the direction of Xiushui Town, more and more cavalrymen launched their charge!

They took out their bows and arrows and began to fire them from a distance!

We're about to scale the city walls!

Tang Shun took a deep breath, the cold air entering his body, and his mind became much clearer.

"All spearmen, form a horizontal line along the parapet, spear tips pointing outwards, ready to kill the enemy at any moment!"

"Push all the rocks and logs to the wall, ready to fall at any moment!"

"Archers fire a volley, no need to hold back any arrows!"

At Tang Shun's command, Cheng Weiliang and the other two squad leaders acted swiftly, directing the soldiers and local militia to quickly complete a new round of positioning.

No one asked why, and no one hesitated.

They all knew that the real battle was only just beginning.

On the city wall, more than a hundred local militiamen gripped their spears tightly, breathing heavily.

Some people's teeth were chattering, and some were sweating profusely.

They raised their shields and began to build rope ladders.

Tang Shun raised his right hand and slowly clenched it.

The wind whipped up dust, which stung my face, leaving it dry and painful.

thump...

thump...

thump...

The enemy's hundreds of horses pounded the ground, their thunderous roars growing louder as they approached, like iron waves crashing against the shore, causing the city walls to tremble slightly.

Suddenly, a villager on the western section of the wall screamed, his voice cracking, and he shrank back, knocking over a villager holding a spear beside him.

The man staggered a few steps, the wooden spear slipped from his hand and rolled down the slope, hitting a pile of sandbags and bouncing a few times before coming to rest.

Screams erupted immediately.

"They're here! They're here! They're here!"

"They really came!"

At first, when the Xiongnu built walls, they were able to remain calm and hinder their advance.

Now that the siege has officially begun, the murderous aura is overwhelming, and some people are already struggling to stand firm.

Some people knelt down, some squatted on the ground with their heads in their hands, and an old woman tightly gripped her son's clothes, muttering words that were hard to understand.

Dong Duan Cheng Feng whirled around and roared, "Stand up straight! Those who retreat will be executed!"

Tang Shun raised his eyes and scanned the entire section of the city wall.

The local militiamen were pale, their lips trembled, and their spears shook...