kingnovel Chapter 1865 Failure
Chapter 1865 Failure
The Han army broke through, but the Chu army's tactics were extremely tricky.
They took advantage of the mobility of the cavalry and continuously weakened the Han army with bows and crossbows from both wings. At the same time, the heavy armored cavalry in the front pressed forward layer by layer like a solid wall, blocking the Han army's way forward.
"boom!"
"boom!"
The two armies collided fiercely!
In an instant, people and horses fell to the ground, and blood and flesh flew everywhere!
The Han army was determined to fight to the death, and their charge was extremely fierce. For a moment, they pushed the Chu army's defense line back dozens of steps.
Liu Xiu was even more unstoppable, wielding his long spear and knocking down several Chu cavalrymen in succession.
However, the Chu army had an absolute advantage in manpower and was well-rested.
Zhao Yu personally led his troops to the front and withstood the sharpest arrows of the Han army.
No matter how hard the Han army fought, the Chu army's defense line was like an elastic rubber wall. It was dented but quickly bounced back and could never be completely torn apart.
The battle descended into a brutal war of attrition.
The Han army had to pay a heavy price for every step forward.
Soldiers were constantly shot down by arrows from both sides and cut down by the Chu cavalry charging head-on. The hundreds of cavalry were quickly wiped out in the fierce fighting with the Chu army.
Liu Xiu was surrounded. Although his personal guards fought to protect him, he felt more and more pressure. The Chu army around him seemed endless.
"Your Majesty! We can't get through! There are too many Chu troops!"
A captain covered in blood rushed to Liu Xiu and screamed, "Brothers, the casualties are too heavy!"
Liu Xiu looked around and his heart sank to the bottom.
It was seen that the breakout team, which originally had 6,000 people, had lost nearly one-third in the brutal fighting in less than half an hour!
Corpses covered the road they tried to advance, and the encirclement of the Chu army became thicker and thicker.
Zhao Yu had even figured out Liu Xiu's position, and kept mobilizing troops to squeeze in here, trying to decapitate him!
If he continues like this, not only will he not be able to break out, he himself will probably be trapped here!
A huge sense of despair and unwillingness surged in his heart, but reason told him that he had to retreat.
"Woo-wu-wu-"
The horn sounding for retreat rang out mournfully behind the Han army, feeling extremely reluctant yet helpless.
"Retreat! Retreat back into the city!" the officers shouted at the top of their lungs.
The Han soldiers who were still fighting hard gave up their attacks as if they had been pardoned, covered each other, and retreated in a panic towards the open east gate.
Seeing this, the Chu cavalry took advantage of the situation and attacked, continuously reaping lives from behind with arrows and sabers.
It was not until most of the Han army retreated into the city gate that the Han archers left on the city wall began to shoot desperately, blocking the Chu army's pursuit. The city gate was closed again with a heavy muffled sound.
Outside the city, there were two thousand corpses of Han soldiers, abandoned weapons, and countless wounded soldiers wailing in pain. They were quickly ruthlessly eliminated by the Chu army that surged in like a tide.
Outside the east gate, the siege was restored again, as if the tragic breakout had never happened.
Only the strong smell of blood and the mess on the ground proved that this place had just experienced a failed desperate attempt.
Liu Xiu retreated back into the city with the help of his personal guards. His helmet was askew and his armor was stained with blood.
Looking at the more than 4,000 frightened and wounded soldiers around him, and recalling Zhao Yu's fierce blocking and the Chu army's strict deployment, a cold chill completely extinguished the last bit of luck in his heart.
Breakout failed.
Kunyang has truly become a cage of despair.
The darkness before dawn finally faded away, and the sky gradually brightened, but the sunlight could hardly penetrate the solemnity and despair that permeated Kunyang City.
When the first rays of morning light illuminated the earth, an even more despairing scene appeared on the distant horizon.
Like a black tide flooding across the plains, the main infantry corps of the Chu army, guided by countless flags fluttering in the wind, came in a mighty and overwhelming force!
Swords and spears were like a forest, armor reflected a cold light, and the heavy footsteps gathered into dull thunder, shaking the earth slightly.
At the forefront of this huge army, under the tallest imperial flag with the word "Chu" on it, Chu Ning, dressed in golden armor, rode his horse with a stern face and eyes as sharp as an eagle, overlooking the isolated city that had been besieged by the vanguard cavalry.
The army marched in a long line and finally formed an endless and majestic military formation outside the city of Kunyang.
The vanguard general Zhao Yu had been waiting for a long time. Seeing the emperor coming, he immediately rode over, dismounted in front of Chu Ning's horse, knelt on one knee, and reported in a loud voice:
"Your Majesty! I have been ordered to pursue the enemy and arrived at Kunyang at midnight last night. I have laid siege to the four gates as ordered."
"During this period, the false emperor Liu Xiu was unwilling to sit idly by and wait for death. He personally led about 6,000 elite troops in an attempt to escape through the east gate, but was repelled by my troops!"
"Over a thousand heads were beheaded, and the Han army's corpses were scattered all over the ground. Liu Xiu fled back to the city in a panic, and has not dared to make any unusual moves since then!"
Chu Ning sat upright on his horse, listening quietly to Zhao Yu's report. When he heard that Liu Xiu's breakout was thwarted, the corners of his cold mouth slowly curled up into a mocking and cruel arc.
"Oh? Breakout?"
Chu Ning's voice was filled with undisguised sarcasm: "Didn't that 'true emperor' Liu Xiu claim to be destined by heaven and blessed by the heavens?"
"A few days ago, there was hail and fire from the sky. What a scene! What happened? When he was desperately trying to break out last night, did the heavens fall asleep, or...did they stop helping him?"
His words were harsh and sharp, and were clearly heard all around, causing the surrounding Chu army generals to burst into suppressed laughter.
The slight panic in the army caused by the strange phenomenon in the sky yesterday seemed to have dissipated a lot in the emperor's confident ridicule.
The sneer on Chu Ning's face grew colder. He looked up at the sparse, frightened Han army guards on Kunyang City Wall, his eyes blazing with an incomparably determined killing intent.
"Hmph! How can such cunning and bluffing tactics shake my resolve to conquer the world?"
"In this battle, I will personally cut off Liu Xiu's head and hang it on the flagpole!"
"I want to see with my own eyes, whose side this so-called destiny is on!"
His voice suddenly rose, filled with unquestionable majesty and determination: "Pass on my orders!"
All the generals behind him immediately obeyed the order.
"All troops, listen up! Divide into four groups!"
Chu Ning pointed his whip at the four gates of Kunyang: "One group will surround the east gate, one group will surround the south gate, one group will surround the west gate, and one group will surround the north gate!"
"Surround this little city of Kunyang with three layers of defense, inside and outside! No one can get out! Not even a fly can escape!"
"I will obey your majesty's order!"
The order was as heavy as a mountain and had to be passed down quickly.
Hundreds of thousands of Chu troops immediately began to operate like a sophisticated and efficient war machine.
At the shouts of the officers, the battalions and teams began to move in an orderly manner. The huge military formation was like four black steel torrents, rushing towards the four gates of Kunyang City.
Banners covered the sky, and swords and spears shone coldly.
The Chu soldiers marched in neat and heavy steps, surrounding Kunyang City in layers and circles.
Spears stood like a forest, shields formed an iron wall, archers occupied the commanding heights, and catapults and battering rams were pushed to the front of the formation.
In the blink of an eye, the entire Kunyang City was surrounded like an iron barrel!
Looking down from the top of the city, all you can see is the dark mass of the Chu army and their cold weapons. The chilling murderous aura rising into the sky is suffocating.
Chu Ning immediately stood under the banner of the central army and looked coldly at the isolated city that had become a turtle in a jar.
The sunlight shone on his golden armor, reflecting a dazzling yet cold light.
"Liu Xiu!"
He whispered to himself, his voice as cold as ice for ten thousand years: "Your journey has come to an end."