vstars Chapter 275 The Liangshan reinforcements were ambushed and annihilated.
Chapter 275 The Liangshan reinforcements were ambushed and annihilated.
The last rays of the setting sun had long been swallowed by the night, and torches on the city walls lit up one by one, illuminating the fact that this siege, which had stretched from dawn to dusk, had finally come to an end. Under the cover of darkness, the Jin army, filled with resentment and helplessness, slowly withdrew from the encirclement, leaving behind only a scene of devastation and smoke.
Li Gang, this iron-willed general, had a face so solemn it seemed like it could be wrung out of water. His piercing gaze swept over his subordinates, and his voice was deep and powerful: "What are the casualties of our army in today's battle?"
A soldier dressed in civilian clothes carefully carried a detailed battle report in both hands, walked forward with unsteady steps, and presented the report with trembling hands.
"General, in today's battle, our army suffered more than 17,000 casualties, and more than 10,000 brothers were wounded. The situation is quite dire. Furthermore, the city's defensive equipment is almost depleted. We can barely hold out until tomorrow morning."
Upon hearing this, Li Gang frowned, as if he could hear a heavy sigh in his heart: "What? I clearly instructed them to prepare in advance, why is it still..." Before he could finish speaking, he had already revealed endless helplessness and heartache.
Finally, Li Gang sighed: "Have the people who asked Li Family Army for help returned? What about the reinforcements we deployed in Liangshan and Ningyang?"
The subordinate reported: "Reporting to the General, the Li family army has replied. They have cut off the Jin army's retreat on the north bank of the Yellow River, but due to the strength of the Jin navy, they will not be able to get here for a while. As for our reinforcements in other directions, the garrison in Ningyang is tied up by the Jin army in Qufu and is not expected to arrive for a while. The reinforcements from Liangshang are expected to arrive tomorrow morning."
Li Gang exclaimed, “Brilliant! When the reinforcements from Liangshan arrive tomorrow, we will encircle the Jin army from both inside and outside, and we will definitely let these Jin bandits experience our power and let them know how many eyes Lord Ma has!”
Given the current situation, if Li Gang can lead his troops to defeat this 150,000-strong Jin army, then no one in the entire Hebei East Road and even Shandong region will be able to shake their foundation. At that time, our sphere of influence will naturally expand outward by a large area, which is truly exciting.
On the shores of Dongping Lake, stretching south for about ten miles, a rebel army of nearly 20,000 men, their torches like dragons, wound their way forward, heading straight for the imposing walls of Dongping Prefecture. Normally, marching at such a late hour is a major taboo, but the situation in Dongping Prefecture had suddenly changed, and the critical moment had forced the leaders of the Liangshan rebels to issue a strict order, vowing to position their army outside the walls of Dongping Prefecture before dawn.
Just as this vast army was traversing a dense reed bed, a deafening blast of a horn cannon suddenly ripped through the night sky, like a thunderclap, shaking the entire landscape. Immediately afterward, a deafening roar of shouts and battle cries erupted from all directions, as if the night had been abruptly ripped open, revealing the boundless fighting spirit and flames of war hidden within.
Upon seeing this, the rebel leader felt a chill and shouted, "This is bad! We've fallen into their trap! We must retreat from this reed maze at once!"
However, the order to retreat was like a belated spring breeze, unable to avert the approaching winter. The Jin archers, like ghosts in the night, silently unleashed a barrage of fire arrows like meteors down on the rebel army's retreat. The arrows streaked across the sky, landing precisely in the dry reeds; instantly, flames erupted, raging fire mercilessly slicing the rebel ranks in two.
Just as flames soared and thick smoke billowed, the Jin cavalry, like warhorses galloping from the gates of hell, swept in from all directions, wielding gleaming scimitars. Each strike was imbued with the aura of death, mercilessly reaping the lives of the rebel soldiers. The rebel formation crumbled rapidly under this sudden attack; soldiers panicked and fled in all directions, plunging the battlefield into chaos.
The ambush laid by the Jin army was exceptionally well-chosen. All around was a vast expanse of reeds, offering no other cover. After a raging inferno, this natural barrier, which had been a place of concealment, instantly became the burial ground for the rebels. Many rebel soldiers did not fall to the Jin army's swords and spears, but were mercilessly suffocated by the billowing smoke and waves rising from the reeds.
As night deepened, the echoes of war drums gradually faded into the pre-dawn silence, leaving only the horrifying scene on the battlefield. As dawn broke and all was still, the valiant figures of the rebel army had transformed into countless silent bodies lying on the ground. Twenty thousand warriors, in a single night, vanished like autumn leaves swept away by the wind on this blood-soaked land.
Little did they know that on that night, the Jin army, numbering less than five thousand, had quietly laid down this deadly trap. The inky darkness became their most loyal ally, concealing the true extent of their numbers and leaving the rebels unable to gauge the enemy's strength. The sudden ambush, like a sharp blade in the night, mercilessly severed the rebels' morale and hope. Faced with this unknown terror, their fighting spirit waned, and their will to fight was shattered.
This was a contest of vastly unequal strength and information asymmetry. The darkness offered illusions to the weak, but also adorned the strong with fearless armor. On this land tormented by fate, the fall of 20,000 heroes was not only a lament for courage, but also a prelude to a profound reflection on wisdom and strategy.
As dawn broke, a sliver of light pierced the darkness, bringing a fleeting sense of peace to the turbulent city. The escaping rebel soldiers, like shooting stars in the night, stumbled into Li Gang's mansion, carrying heavy news. Upon hearing that their reinforcements had been ambushed and annihilated by the Jin army, Li Gang's face instantly darkened. Consumed by rage, he grabbed his riding whip and lashed it mercilessly at an innocent tree trunk in the courtyard. Each lash seemed to unleash his overwhelming fury until the bark was torn and bleeding, only then did his anger subside slightly.
However, the situation did not allow him to wallow in anger. The war drums of the Jin army, like a death knell, once again resounded across the sky, announcing the start of a new round of siege warfare.
Unlike yesterday's bloody battle, today the Jin commander, Wanyan Ping, unveiled his meticulously prepared secret weapon—the firearms battalion. These soldiers, clad in iron armor and wielding muskets, appeared like ghosts from the future, launching a thunderous attack on the rebel positions on the city walls. Muskets roared, smoke billowed, and every bullet was precise and deadly. Many valiant rebel warriors, caught off guard by the sudden barrage, staggered and ultimately fell helplessly to the city walls, their fates unknown.
This scene caused the air on the city wall to freeze instantly, a mixture of fear and tragedy, which only strengthened the resolve of the soldiers defending the city to fight to the death.
Beneath the city walls, the Jin soldiers, seeing that the time was ripe, quickly erected siege ladders and swarmed up the walls like ants, and a fierce battle of attack and defense instantly began atop the city walls.
A brave soldier, wielding a long spear, soared like a dragon through the heavens, swiftly knocking down a Jin soldier who had just peeked out. Just as he bent down to assess the situation, intending to display his prowess once more, a cold arrow silently pierced the air, accurately piercing his neck. The spear he held tightly fell limply to the ground, and he, like a kite with a broken string, tragically fell from the towering city wall.
This momentary opening was keenly observed by the Jin army. A Jin soldier seized the opportunity, leaping like a cheetah hunting its prey, landing steadily on the city wall. He then brandished his sharp scimitar, transforming into a silver whirlwind that mercilessly swept into the ranks of the rebels. The sounds of hacking and slashing rose and fell, a scene of extraordinary carnage.
The cruelty and ruthlessness of war were magnified infinitely at this moment, with every second determining life and death. On the city walls, the battle of blood and fire was intensifying.