kingnovel Chapter 2216 Safe Return
Chapter 2216 Safe Return
"Loose the arrows! Ballistae, fire!"
Without any hesitation, Han Xing swung down his command flag the instant the Tang army's vanguard entered the optimal firing range of 150 paces.
"Om-!"
First, dozens of ballistae carried by the army emitted a dull and terrifying roar, and huge crossbow bolts as thick as a child's arm tore through the air, shooting into the dense charging ranks of the Tang army with a shrill whistle.
These crossbow bolts were incredibly powerful, often piercing through several people in succession, or even pinning men and horses to the ground, instantly carving out several shocking bloody trails in the Tang army's ranks.
Immediately following was a three-stage volley of arrows from the crossbowmen.
The first volley of arrows had just left the bow and soared into the air when the second volley was already drawn and ready to be released, and the third volley was quickly nocked.
Arrows rained down from the slope like locusts or a torrential downpour, covering the entire front of the Tang army's charge.
Caught off guard, the Tang army pursuers did not expect that the Chu army could organize such a fierce and orderly long-range attack so quickly during their retreat.
The momentum of the charge stalled, and the soldiers in the front ranks, holding their makeshift shields, fell in droves under the hail of arrows, their screams and groans filling the air.
"Don't stop! Charge! Their arrows won't last long!"
Zhang Wu roared hoarsely from the rear, waving his sword to deflect the stray arrows aimed at him, and led the charge forward.
He knew that once they stopped, their morale would be completely depleted by the continuous barrage of arrows.
The Tang army was indeed fierce. After paying a heavy price, they braved the rain of arrows and finally charged to within thirty paces of the Chu army's shield carts and chevaux-de-frise!
"Spear, thrust!"
"Axemen, prepare!"
The shouts of officers and brigade commanders at all levels rang out almost simultaneously within the Chu army formation.
The heavy shield bearers behind the shield carts used their bodies to firmly block the impact, and the long spears that pierced out from the gaps in the shields were like venomous snakes spitting their tongues, fiercely stabbing at the Tang soldiers who rushed forward.
The Tang soldiers at the forefront couldn't stop and crashed straight into the forest of spears, either having their chests pierced or being thrown away.
The Tang soldiers who followed attempted to cut the spear shafts with swords and axes, or several men worked together, roaring as they pushed the shield carts.
Some even climbed onto the roof of the chariot and jumped into the Chu army's ranks, only to be immediately hacked to pieces by several swords and axes.
The battle entered its most brutal melee phase the moment they made contact.
With sheer courage, the Tang army launched a frenzied assault on the Chu army's defenses, attempting to break through their lines.
The Chu army, relying on its pre-arranged simple fortifications and disciplined formation, refused to yield an inch.
Amidst the flashing blades, flying blood and flesh, and the mingling of roars and wails, the once relatively gentle slope was instantly transformed into a meat grinder that devoured lives.
Han Xing's position was like an iron nail firmly driven into the ground. No matter how the Tang army attacked, it remained unmoved, leaving the Tang army with countless corpses in front of the position.
Li Shimin saw this clearly from the imperial carriage behind him, and his face was terribly gloomy.
He hadn't expected that the Chu army would leave behind such a tenacious rearguard during their retreat.
"Han Xing..."
He gritted his teeth and uttered the name: "Order Zhang Wu to break through this defense line at all costs! Chu Ning is about to escape into the city!"
The Tang army's attack became even more frenzied, and they even organized suicide squads, carrying flammable materials to try to burn the shield carts.
Han Xing responded calmly, ordering his archers to focus their fire on the Tang soldiers charging with firewood, while simultaneously mobilizing cavalry on both flanks to launch small-scale counterattacks and disperse the Tang army's attempts to assemble a large force.
Time slipped away amidst the bloody battle.
Han Xing's troops were under immense pressure, and their lines were repeatedly breached, causing them to cave inwards and become extremely vulnerable.
But at crucial moments, Han Xing would always personally lead his personal guards to take the lead, or be supported by the mobile cavalry on the flanks to stabilize the situation.
Han Xing himself was incredibly brave, rushing to wherever danger was imminent, wielding his long iron sword like a wheel, causing Tang soldiers to fall and their horses to tumble wherever he went.
His figure and the ever-standing "Han" banner became the spiritual pillar of the Chu army's rearguard.
Just as Han Xing's troops were locked in a fierce battle with the Tang army's pursuers, Chu Ning's main force of the Chu army finally seized this precious window of opportunity, bought with blood, and surged toward the west gate of Jianghuai City like a flood bursting its banks.
The Chu army inside Jianghuai City had already received orders from the swift cavalry: the city gates were opened, the drawbridge was lowered, torches illuminated the city walls, and the defending troops were on high alert.
Chu Ning took the lead, silver spear in hand, and charged across the drawbridge, stepping into the shadows of the city gate.
Behind him was a long line of cavalry, infantry, and supply wagons.
Everyone's faces showed relief at surviving the disaster and frustration at not being able to annihilate the enemy, but even more so, a desire to safely enter the city.
After entering the city, Chu Ning did not leave immediately. Instead, he stood on the high platform inside the city gate and turned to look at the battlefield to the west, where the sounds of battle were deafening and flames were soaring.
His gaze seemed to penetrate the city walls, revealing the scene of Han Xing's troops fighting a bloody battle.
Beside him, generals such as Feng Mulan, Xue Huaide, and Xue Dingshan stood solemnly, the atmosphere heavy.
"General Han..."
Feng Mulan gripped her twin swords tightly, gazing at the distant flames soaring into the sky, a hint of respect and worry flashing in her eyes.
Chu Ning remained silent, only pursing her lips tightly.
He knew that Han Xing was fulfilling his promise with his life. He also knew that every moment of delay made Han Xing's chances of survival increasingly slim.
But for the sake of the overall situation, he had to wait until as many of the main forces as possible entered the city.
"Speed up! The rear guard becomes the front guard. Once inside the city, they will be immediately guided to their designated camps by their respective military commanders. There must be no chaos! The city's defenses will be handed over to Xue Huaide's troops immediately!"
Chu Ning's icy voice echoed through the city gate, and the order was quickly passed down layer by layer.
The efficiency of entering the city has been improved once again.
Finally, as the flags of the last organized Chu army rearguard disappeared into the city gate, Chu Ning took a deep breath and said in a deep voice:
"Close the gate! Raise the drawbridge!"
The heavy winch began to turn, and the massive iron-clad city gate slowly closed amidst a grating scraping sound. The drawbridge spanning the moat creaked as it was slowly pulled up.
When the city gates slammed shut with a resounding crash and the drawbridge was fully raised, Jianghuai City resembled a giant beast that had folded its claws, temporarily isolated from the bloody battlefield outside the city.
Chu Ning took one last look at the west, turned around, and spurred his horse toward the commander's mansion in the city.
He must immediately regain control of the situation and deal with Chu Xuan's betrayal and the impending siege.
Almost at the same time that the west gate of Jianghuai City closed and the drawbridge was raised—
To the west, Chu Xuan led his main force of 50,000 Youzhou troops to the edge of the battlefield.
They flew the banner of the Youzhou army, but their ranks were well-organized and their armor was gleaming, clearly indicating that they had been preparing for a long time.
However, when they saw the tightly closed west gate of Jianghuai City, and the battlefield outside the city where fierce fighting was still taking place, but the Tang army had obviously failed to break through the Hanxing defense line and the main force of the Chu army had disappeared, the Youzhou army general who was commanding the vanguard was clearly stunned.
The anticipated scenario of a pincer attack from both sides to annihilate Chu Ning's main force did not materialize.