Chapter 485: Chapter 468: Defending the Homeland_2
Zhang Meng and Zhang Hu led their men to clean the battlefield and tend to the wounded.
"Miss, they’ve attacked fiercely all day, they probably won’t attack the city again at night. I’ll keep watch, you should get some rest," Chunlu said, tenderly wiping away the dried blood on Fengyu’s face.
"Han Ziqi is determined to take West State. This is the rear of the Twelve States, which is disadvantageous for Sannan’s operations. He wants a quick victory and will soon launch a second attack," Fengyu said, holding her breath, unable to relax. The secret passage was already closed and guarded; the Sannan people absolutely could not be allowed to enter the city through it.
Today, defending the city cost 500 men injured and 200 dead, severely weakening combat capability. Although the West State soldiers have been trained, they are still the main force in defending the city.
She needed to make two preparations: what if they couldn’t hold the city gate? She called Zhang Meng over. "You must inform all the civilians in the city that Ningzhou Iron Cavalry and the soldiers will fight to the last breath to hold the West State City Gate. Even if it’s to the last man, if they fail, let the people escape through the secret passage. Their targets are the grain storage and armory in West State, so they won’t stay long. Once they leave, the people can return home."
Hearing this, Zhang Meng’s blood surged with passion. "Miss, we in West State City will stand with you through thick and thin, and we will never abandon our homes and city, don’t worry!"
"You’re being foolish. The city is filled with the elderly, women, and children. Do you want them to die? Only by living is there hope!" Fengyu said sternly. "Once you die, everything is gone. Go and notify them quickly!"
Fengyu avoided everyone else and quietly gave orders to Zhang Meng. She couldn’t give such orders in front of the Ningzhou Iron Cavalry, as it would affect morale!
After Zhang Meng left to carry out the orders, Fengyu reached the city wall and suddenly felt a chill. The early spring night was as cold as water, chilling to the bone.
Fengyu grabbed a bow, wrapped the arrowhead in fire oil, and shot it towards the moat outside the city, where it ignited, revealing Sannan forces crawling forward under the cover of darkness.
"Enemy attack, be alert!" commanded Nuanyang, as the horn sounded, with the Sannan forces launching a second wave of assault.
The exhausted soldiers instantly snapped into combat mode, as large fireballs rained down onto the walls like raindrops. The first wave of archers was struck, their clothes catching fire instantly and causing screams of agony.
"It’s firestones. Quickly, dodge, dodge..." These firestones were formidable siege weapons and difficult to defend against while holding the city. They could only wait for this wave to pass. Ningzhou also took precautions against such firestones while defending their city, but these firestone machines were very heavy. The fact that the Sannan forces, on a rapid march, still brought such siege equipment was unbelievable. Claiming they brought these all the way from Sannan, Nuanyang could hardly believe it!
The city gate was smashed open by the enormous firestones, which rolled directly into the city, as the horns outside grew louder and stronger. After the gates were breached, cavalry charged in.
Nuanyang furrowed his brow; the city gate couldn’t be held any longer. "The soldiers attack outside the city, the Ningzhou Iron Cavalry advance to meet the enemy!"
"I’ll slaughter you bastards today!" roared Chen Jiangdong, rushing to the city gate with Nuanyang to stop the maddeningly advancing Sannan army.
Thousands of Sannan men flooded into the city, initiating a massive slaughter. Corpses quickly piled up at the gate, with Chen Jiangdong and Nuanyang fighting at the forefront.
For the second time, Fengyu felt the brutality of two armies clashing.
Han Ziqi raised his longsword to the sky and shouted, "Capture Fengyu alive, don’t let her die!"
"Yes!"
Zhang Da and Chunlu, along with several loyal soldiers, surrounded Fengyu, simultaneously fighting the enemy and protecting her. But there were too many Sannan people, and they were quickly scattered. In such chaos, watching comrades fall one by one easily stirred their bloodlust, focusing only on killing the enemy.
Fengyu, needing no protection from others, wielded her longsword and hacked down the continuously encroaching enemies.
Nuanyang and Chen Jiangdong held the gate until it couldn’t be held any longer. The Sannan people used corpses to create a path, eventually breaking into the inner city. Everyone was sacrificing their lives to defend this city.
The clash of swords and shadows echoed alongside the beating war drums.
Fengyu, covered in blood, was stabbed twice in the shoulder, yet did not retreat even an inch. Han Ziqi called out to her amidst the chaotic mass, "Third Miss, surrender, stop this futile struggle. Beauties belong in the tent serving men; the battlefield is a man’s place!"
With blood all over her face, like a demon from hell, Fengyu replied, "Han Ziqi, there is no commanding surrender from the Ningzhou Iron Cavalry. I live and die with West State!"
"Hahaha, what am I to do? I quite fancy the blood-soaked, fighting spirit of Third Miss," Han Ziqi smirked, pointed his sword at Fengyu, and said, "Capture her, don’t let her die!"
"Protect the miss!" Nuanyang shouted, and thousands of Sannan men poured through the gate. Just then, from the inner city, came the thunderous sound of hoofbeats as Zhang Meng brought every man and woman capable of fighting in West State City to the forefront.
After three years since they abandoned their outlaw ways for peaceful lives, even Fengyu nearly forgot that the original inhabitants of West State City were themselves a fierce and warlike band.
"Miss, we will not flee. West State is our home, and we swear to defend it to the death!" declared Zhang Hu’s wife, dressed in riding attire and wielding a long spear. "I — she’s — will see who dares to destroy our home."
Zhang Meng shouted, "Brothers and sisters, charge! Show them the might of the warriors from the Twelve States. Kill them! Defend West State and slay all enemies."
"Defend West State, slay all enemies!" Their deafening battle cries pierced the sky as tens of thousands of citizens and the garrison surged forward like a sharp blade cutting into the enemy forces.
Tears streamed down Fengyu’s face, her blood, chilled by hostility and bloodshed, began to boil like lava, her body trembling.
Once, we turned to banditry, killing and looting. Now, we’ve settled and thrived.
We want to eat our fill, stay warm, serve our parents, and raise our children. We desire peace across the lands, a prosperous and stable nation. So we laid down our weapons to embrace peace.
But if anyone threatens to plunder our home, we can still take up arms and protect it.