vstars Chapter 1793 Is there such a thing?
Chapter 1793 Is there such a thing?
The attack and defense of Xunyang continues.
The casualties of the defenders were increasing rapidly.
The logs and rocks were consumed at an alarming rate, and the arrows gradually became sparse.
The most terrifying thing was that the fatigue and fear on the soldiers' faces became more and more intense.
The continuous and precise strikes of the Chu army's crossbows were like a sword hanging over their heads, constantly depriving the defenders of any chance to breathe and destroying their fortifications and fighting will bit by bit.
The setting sun dyed the sky a sad blood-red, which contrasted with the blood flowing freely on the city walls.
The Chu army's horn finally sounded, and the tide of attack temporarily retreated, leaving only a mess of corpses, broken equipment and land full of arrows under the city.
On the top of the city wall, the Han soldiers sat slumped in a pool of blood, gasping for breath, their eyes numb and desperate.
Many people were wounded and groaning softly. Flags were torn, the smoke of gunpowder still lingered, and a section of the city wall even had a noticeable collapsed gap. Although it was temporarily blocked with sandbags, it looked precarious.
Gongsun Ao leaned on his sword with a rolled edge and looked at the retreating Chu army, without a trace of relief on his face.
He counted the casualties, looked at his exhausted subordinates and the damaged city defenses, and his heart turned cold.
In just one day, the defense of Xunyang City has been weakened to this extent. If this continues, tomorrow... can it hold out until the day when the Duke of Protector of the Country arrives?
Night slowly fell and the cold wind became stronger. The surviving defenders huddled on the top of the city wall, feeling the cold breath of approaching death.
Xunyang City, under the violent offensive of the Chu Army and the ruthless attack of the crossbows, was already in a precarious situation and on the verge of collapse.
The setting sun finally sank completely into the distant horizon, and the last ray of afterglow dissipated reluctantly in the sky like a faded bloodstain.
A low and clear sound of a bugle call rang out in the Chu army camp, penetrating the lingering sound of fighting and the wails of the wounded that had not yet dissipated on the battlefield.
Like the receding tide, the Chu soldiers, who had been clinging to the walls of Xunyang like a thorn in their flesh, began to retreat in an orderly manner.
They carried broken ladders, dragged the bodies or wounded of their comrades, and at the shouts of their officers, joined the huge military formation in the rear. Finally, like a black tide, they slowly retreated to the large camp where lights were gradually coming on in the distance.
On the city wall, the surviving Han soldiers watched the enemy retreat like a tide, and their nerves, which had been tense all day, suddenly relaxed.
Many people collapsed directly to the ground, leaning their backs against the cold parapet, gasping for breath, as if trying to replace all the air in their chests that was mixed with the smell of blood and gunpowder.
The air was filled with a sense of exhaustion after escaping death.
Deputy General Jia Yuan used a blood-stained cloth to sloppily wipe the blackened blood scabs and flesh from his armor. He walked over to the main general Gongsun Ao and said in a hoarse and tired voice:
"General, the Chu army has retreated... Should we allow the brothers to rest for a while? Cook a meal and treat the wounded?"
However, Gongsun Ao still stood up straight, his eyes as sharp as an eagle, staring at the continuous lights and faint noise coming from the Chu army camp in the distance, his brows furrowed.
He shook his head slowly, his voice low and full of caution: "Chu Ning has always been cunning in his military tactics and likes to use surprise attacks."
"During today's siege, our army suffered heavy casualties and the city's defenses were breached in many places. They clearly had the upper hand and their morale was high, so why did they choose to call off the attack at this moment? This doesn't make sense."
When Jia Yuan heard this, his heart suddenly shuddered, and his fatigue was instantly dispelled by a chill:
"General, what you're saying is... the Chu army is feigning a retreat, but they're actually trying to get us to relax our guard so they can launch a surprise attack in the dead of night?"
"It's not impossible!"
Gongsun Ao's tone was firm and decisive. "Pass the order down: The entire army will be divided into two groups. They will take turns to rest immediately, but they must remain in their armor and weapons!"
"Double the number of troops on duty, and send more scouts to closely monitor the Chu camp's movements, especially towards the north gate! Archers, load your arrows and be ready for a night attack at any time!"
He paused, his voice growing heavier. "Also, immediately count today's losses. I want to know how much strength we have left."
"I understand!" Jia Yuan's expression became serious. He immediately clasped his fists and accepted the order, then turned around and walked quickly down to make arrangements.
The order was conveyed quickly, and the defenders who had just relaxed had to cheer up again, endure fatigue and pain, and carry out rotation and alert.
Torches were lit on the city walls, and the flickering flames illuminated faces filled with fatigue, tension and confusion, as well as the devastated battlefield.
About an hour later, Jia Yuan came back with a layer of gloom covering his face.
He walked behind Gongsun Ao, who had been standing on the top of the city wall, staring into the darkness, and said in a dry voice:
"General, the defenses have been properly arranged, and the brothers are taking turns to eat. But... but the damage..."
Gongsun Ao didn't turn around, but said in a deep voice: "Speak!"
Jia Yuan took a deep breath, as if he had exhausted all his strength, and finally spit out the numbers with difficulty:
"After a full day of fierce fighting today...over 3,300 of our men have been killed."
Although he was mentally prepared, this number still caused Gongsun Ao's body to shake slightly.
He slowly closed his eyes, then opened them again, his eyes bloodshot. "What about the Chu army? What were their losses?"
Jia Yuan's face showed a trace of helpless bitterness: "There are many corpses left under the city wall, but the exact number is difficult to accurately count."
"According to my rough estimate, the Chu army's casualties today...are approximately between 2,000 and 3,000. Perhaps...perhaps slightly less than ours."
"what?!"
Gongsun Ao turned around abruptly, his voice suddenly raised with incredible anger.
"They were the ones attacking the city! Their losses were practically the same as ours defending the city?! How is this possible?"
Jia Yuan lowered his head helplessly, his voice filled with powerlessness. "General, please understand... The Chu army's crossbows and catapults have an extremely long range and are extremely powerful. They have been bombarding us recklessly all day long, outside the range of our bows and crossbows."
"Many brothers...many brothers died under those crossbows and cannonballs before they even had a chance to engage the Chu army in close combat...This is the main reason why our army suffered such heavy casualties."
Gongsun Ao fell silent.
In fact, he knew this cruel fact, but he was unwilling and dared not believe that in the battle to defend the city, his own losses would be equal to or even greater than those of the attackers.
The Chu army's terrifying long-range weapons completely changed the cost-to-cost ratio of attack and defense.
A heavy feeling of powerlessness, like the cold night, gradually permeated his heart.
After a long moment, he waved his hand, his voice full of fatigue: "Forget it... General Jia, you've been tired all day, go down and rest first."
Jia Yuan shook his head and insisted: "General, you are the leader of the army and need to rest. I will take care of the guard duty tonight!"
Gongsun Ao frowned, his tone unquestionable: "This is a military order! Go and rest! Tomorrow... the battle will be even more fierce!"