Looking at the vast expanse of collapsing city walls, Liang Xiao knew the situation was critical!
The collapsed city wall was at least a hundred zhang wide!
Fortunately, it had been heavily guarded, and repairs were underway.
However, more than a dozen soldiers had been injured due to the city wall's collapse!
Zhuo Zifang and Li Xiuyun also rushed over upon hearing the news. Seeing the complete collapse of the city wall, they were both shocked and furious. "Although the earthquake was not small, it shouldn't have been enough to destroy the city wall, and not even a large number of civilian houses collapsed. It must be that the people who built the city wall before were cutting corners!"
Liang Xiao sighed, "We don't have time to dwell on this now. We must immediately station troops here. The enemy will surely accelerate their gathering. Where are the trebuchets and those 'wooden barrels'?"
Gongsun Dingjun replied, "Three trebuchets were smashed by the earthquake, and there are still twenty 'wooden barrels' here!"
Liang Xiao immediately arranged for people to bring the trebuchets and gunpowder barrels from the southeast.
Emergency defensive measures were put in place, with large amounts of earth, stones, caltrops, and iron蒺藜 arranged at the entrance.
"Reporting to the Young Lord! The southwest city wall of Luzhou has collapsed due to the earthquake!"
The rebel alliance in the military tent received the news, and everyone was ecstatic.
"As soon as our Young Lord arrived, Luzhou City suffered divine wrath due to the use of sorcery, proving that our Young Lord is indeed favored by heaven!" the members of the Sun Moon Army cheered.
Yan Jun and Duan Hong had complex expressions and could only nod in agreement.
They had paid such a heavy price in casualties, only for a fortuitous earthquake to destroy Luzhou's city wall. If they had known, they should have waited a few more days!
The brocade-robed young lord finally burst into laughter, "What are you waiting for? Attack the city immediately! We must not give the enemy any chance to breathe and repair the city wall! We still have fifty thousand troops to attack the city. Once this city is taken, it will inspire uprisings everywhere, supporting each other, and great deeds can be accomplished!"
The rebels, whose morale had been low, were now all invigorated and their eyes were red with excitement, "Avenge our fallen brothers!"
As long as they broke into Luzhou City, they could plunder and loot, and become rich!
The supreme commander of the army had undoubtedly changed to the mysterious brocade-robed young lord, and Duan Hong could only serve as a deputy commander, assisting in minor tasks.
There was panic in Luzhou City, but the common people knew that Liang Xiao and Zhuo Zifang were defending the city, and they managed to calm down. Many young and strong men rushed to the southwest city wall with carts of farm tools and grain, hoping to help.
Upon learning that there were still many members of the Rejuvenation Sect among the enemy, the people in the city no longer dared to speak of surrender!
They now fully understood that Marquis An Guo was right. Once the city fell, they and their families might become "sacrifices" of the Rejuvenation Sect!
But could ten thousand people defend it?
In a civilian house, Zuo Wushang and his two companions received the news with mixed emotions.
The rebel army, having suffered setbacks, would seize this opportunity to desperately attack the southwest city wall. Then, using the excuse of the defenders' stubborn resistance, they would massacre the city, leading to more bloodshed!
"No matter what, let's keep an eye on the princess first. Perhaps now is the time to take her out!" Zuo Wushang sighed.
The defenders of Luzhou were on high alert. Liang Xiao found guards from the Liang Residence to protect Zhuo Zifang.
Zhuo Zifang sighed, "Liang Xiao, if the situation turns for the worse, you should lead Xiao Xun and the others to break through and head to Jinling. I will stay behind to deal with the enemy!"
Liang Xiao looked calm. "Let's see. Lord Zhuo, you must also return to Jinling. The reinforcements I arranged in advance should be on their way, and they might arrive tonight!"
Zhuo Zifang said anxiously, "Liang Xiao, this old bone of mine has lived long enough. You, Xiao Xun, Qin Xian, and Yue Lian must not have any accidents..."
Liang Xiao nodded solemnly. After making arrangements, he rode back to the courtyard and found Jian Qinwan and the others.
At this moment, Jian Qinwan, Yue Lian, and Zhuo Xun were all looking worried, but they didn't understand military matters and didn't know how to comfort him.
Liang Xiao said with a grave expression, "Senior Brother, Qin Xin, please take care of them. If the front line is defeated, you should lead them out of the east gate and head to Jinling."
"What about Marquis An Guo?" Chen Shaoling asked anxiously.
The situation was so critical that they had no mood to joke about Liang Xiao and his junior sister, the bickering couple.
"I will act according to the situation. If it turns for the worse, I will come back. Don't worry. You must also not panic, lest the enemy abduct them." Liang Xiao said, looking at Yue Lian and Zhuo Xun.
The three girls held back their tears and nodded.
At this moment, they didn't even dare to cry, for fear of causing more trouble for Liang Xiao.
Watching Liang Xiao's receding back, Jian Qinwan and the other two finally couldn't help but embrace and cry, silently praying for Liang Xiao.
"This Liang Xiao, at such a critical juncture, is actually making arrangements for the princess's heavy protection??"
The three men from Zuo Wushang, who were keeping watch from a distance, looked bitter.
The princess was safe, but this meant their chances of taking her away were still slim!
Hong Jie pondered for a moment and said, "Let our compatriots in the city wait outside the east gate. Once the city falls, they are most likely to escape to Jinling. Perhaps this is the best opportunity to retrieve the princess."
Faced with Liang Xiao's caution, Zuo Wushang could only comply and make arrangements immediately.
Liang Xiao returned to the southwest city wall and, along with Zhuo Zifang and Li Xiuyun, stood on a temporary platform, looking at the vast black mass in the distance.
The enemy had indeed seized the opportunity, consolidating their forces at the fastest possible speed and rushing to attack the city before nightfall!
This time, the rebels no longer needed battering rams and siege ladders. They only needed to protect the moat engineers, and the pressure to attack the city was greatly reduced!
The fifty thousand strong army, vast and mighty, headed straight for the southwest of Luzhou. The great battle was imminent!
Liang Xiao, holding the Sunset Bow, stood on the platform, with the remaining two boxes of Dragon Fang Arrows on the ground, ready to face the enemy together with the soldiers!
Even Zhuo Zifang had changed into light armor and stood by Liang Xiao's side, overseeing the battle.
Li Xiuyun, a frail scholar who knew nothing of military matters, had to return to the city to patrol and appease the people.
"Whoever captures this city and kills Zhuo Zifang and Li Xiuyun will be rewarded with ten thousand taels of silver! Whoever brings the head of Liang Xiao will be rewarded with ten thousand taels of gold, and whoever captures Liang Xiao alive will be rewarded with twenty thousand taels of gold!"
The brocade-robed young lord's order spread, and all the rebels' eyes turned red with greed. They rushed towards Luzhou, determined to capture Liang Xiao and the other two!
The two sides exchanged the first volley of crossbow bolts!
"First, hurl stones!"
With a command from Liang Xiao, fifty personal guards immediately prepared gunpowder barrels.
The two merged, leaving only seventeen trebuchets and forty gunpowder barrels.
"Whoosh!"
The trebuchets launched, and stones flew, killing more than a dozen soldiers in the front ranks!
"It seems they have no more 'sorcery'. Indeed, heaven is helping us!" the brocade-robed young lord laughed wildly at the sky and urged the attack.
The excited rebels gathered and approached the defenders of Luzhou!
Just then, twelve stones mixed with five gunpowder barrels flew over, landing in the most densely packed front ranks of the enemy.
"Boom boom!"
The gunpowder barrels exploded violently in the crowd, and hundreds of rebels were blown to smithereens on the spot!
"There's actually sorcery!"
The defenders were stunned by the power of the gunpowder barrels and slowed their advance, fearing they would become cannon fodder.
"A bunch of incompetents! They can only use 'sorcery' five more times, which means their inventory is not much. Continue the attack!" Duan Hong was furious.
Another five gunpowder barrels flew into the crowd, blasting hundreds of people to pieces, startling the brocade-robed young lord and others who were overseeing the battle, causing them to retreat continuously, fearing they would be affected.
Seeing their offensive momentum slow down, the brocade-robed young lord was furious.
"Take Luzhou City, and all the women and wealth within the city will be yours to plunder. I will not hold you accountable. Leave Liang Xiao's women and the Jinling Painter Fairy for the Young Lord!"
The brocade-robed young lord's military order was conveyed to the front line, and everyone charged towards the defenders like madmen!