Chapter 111: Raging
Below the city gate, corpses littered the ground, with severed limbs and remains, blood and killing aura soaring to the sky.
There were also quite a few dead and wounded on the city wall.
Xiongnu Barbarians were tall and strong, skilled in riding and shooting, and extremely ferocious. The refugees who had only fought mountain bandits, if not for the advantage of the city wall, could not resist at all.
Mao Hongling was exhausted of strength, without even the strength to lift her saber, and whispered: “Xiongnu Barbarians are indeed powerful.”
Pei Qinghe, however, said: “Today the Xiongnu Barbarians did not use their full strength; they were probing our strength. The real fierce battle has not yet begun.”
Mao Hongling felt chills rising in her heart.
Pei Yan had the air of a newborn calf unafraid of tigers: “What is there to fear? We haven’t used our full strength either!”
Pei Qinghe laughed: “You continue guarding on the city wall. I will go check on the wounded soldiers.”
In this battle, eight died, and more than twenty were wounded. The dead were immediately dragged away for burial, and the wounded were carried into tents. The three doctors in Changping County Town were all personally summoned by County Magistrate Wang and were busy treating wounds and bandaging.
Lu Family Medicine lived up to its name; even the most severe external wounds, after applying the powder, would quickly stop bleeding. On the battlefield, being able to stop bleeding could save several more lives.
Pei Qinghe pondered in her heart that after this battle, she needed to make a trip to the Lu Family.
Gu Lian, who had performed heroically today, also suffered a minor wound, right on her left shoulder. Her clothes were half removed. The doctor treating her wound was mindful of the difference between men and women, acting hesitantly, but Gu Lian herself was quite open about it and even had the mood to joke with Pei Qinghe: “Today I killed three. Unfortunately, my archery is not good enough; otherwise, I could have killed a few more barbarians.”
Pei Qinghe smiled and said: “Archery is practiced. You are careful and bold; after two more times on the city wall, you will be a true elite soldier.”
Excitement and fervor flashed in Gu Lian’s eyes, but as she nodded, it tugged at her wound, and she cried out “ouch.”
Pei Qinghe chuckled: “Alright, don’t move around. Rest well.”
Mao Hongling curled up in a corner, closed her eyes, and soon fell asleep amid the bloody smell and cries of agony.
She had a dream. In the dream, Xiongnu Cavalry surged like waves, one after another, charging up the city wall like wild beasts. She screamed and rushed forward, only to be slashed down below the city wall by a saber.
This nightmare was truly terrifying. She suddenly opened her eyes and drew her long saber from her bosom. The people around her were startled and shouted her name loudly.
Mao Hongling awoke from the nightmare, wiped the cold sweat from her forehead with her sleeve, hugged the long saber tightly again, and fell into a deep sleep once more.
“Previously, when killing mountain bandits, we killed those who deserved to be killed, and they were all young and strong men. This time, the Xiongnu Barbarians drove ordinary common people to attack the city, including many women. To defend the city, we had no choice but to kill. This is the most terrifying and cruel aspect of the battlefield.”
Pei Qinghe, after inspecting the wounded soldiers, returned to the city wall and said to Pei Yan: “Second Sister-in-law is kind-hearted and soft, unable to adapt to the cruelty of the battlefield for the moment. Let her rest for a day or two; next time the Xiongnu Barbarians come to attack the city, don’t let her go up the city wall.”
Pei Yan softly acknowledged, stole a glance at Pei Qinghe, wanted to say something but held back.
Actually, she herself had felt nauseous several times today wanting to vomit. In such a cruel and brutal battlefield, Cousin Sister Qinghe remained calm. This was a natural born killer!
Pei Qinghe stood on the city wall, gazing toward the direction where the Xiongnu Barbarians were camped.
……
Xiongnu Barbarians learned to ride horses and kill from childhood. After a victory, they reveled freely; after a defeat, they did not lose heart. After probing twice, they had gauged the troop strength defending the city.
“There are nearly one thousand men defending the city. Their skills vary, mostly ordinary, but those women have exceptionally good archery.”
“That leader is a true divine archer. Among us, we can’t find anyone that powerful.”
“We originally had one thousand men; now four hundred have taken money and grain captives back, leaving around six hundred. Last night and today, we suffered more deaths and wounds. The opponents are tough; to take Changping County Town, I’m afraid many of us will die.”
Some had thoughts of retreat and suggested going back. More Xiongnu Barbarians, unwilling to be repelled by a woman, clamored to occupy Changping County, capture that girl who shot many Xiongnu brave soldiers, and inflict the most cruel and intense revenge on her.
On the third day, the Xiongnu Barbarians attacked the city again.
This time it was a true fierce assault. Whoosh whoosh whoosh! The barbarians riding warhorses shot arrows from afar at the city wall; arrows fell like rain, pressing everyone so they could hardly raise their heads.
Xiongnu Barbarians charged to below the city gate under the arrow rain, carrying thick logs to violently ram the city gate.
Thud!
The city gate shook violently.
Thud!
Mud and ash fell rustling down.
Changping County’s city gate had been built for over thirty years, repaired annually, but not very sturdy. After several fierce rams, it had begun to shake.
On the city wall, Pei Qinghe calmly ordered: “Pour water!”
Buckets of scalding boiling water poured down from the city wall. One Xiongnu Barbarian was doused squarely on the head, letting out an earth-shattering cry of agony.
The other barbarians were also scalded and cried out in pain continuously.
The logs could no longer be carried and rolled down one after another.
Those scalded by the boiling water did not die for the moment and struggled to run back, only to be pierced through the back by arrows, falling below the city like porcupines.
The Xiongnu Barbarians were enraged, stopped for two days, cut many trees, and made seven or eight simple siege ladders. When attacking again, the Xiongnu Barbarians climbed the wooden ladders.
Pei Qinghe directed everyone to pour hot oil, arrows carrying flames. The Xiongnu Barbarians were scalded by oil and burned by fire, suffering heavy casualties.
On the defending side, the number of dead and wounded was also rapidly climbing. The attacking barbarians also used fire arrows.
County Magistrate Wang could not stay in the county office at all, running around every day to prepare hot water, hot oil, bricks, stones, and so on for the Pei Family Army defending the city. Anything that could smash and kill when thrown down was moved to the city wall.
Too many dead and wounded created gaps in the defense. The yamen runners also had to go up the city wall. Then, Pei Qinghe instructed County Magistrate Wang to summon all the magnates in the county town, calling their family retainers and guards to defend the city wall. Still short on personnel, they grabbed all the local ruffians and thugs in the city.
The unlucky Zhao Da was among them.
Two years ago, when Pei Qinghe entered Changping County, the blind Zhao Da dared to provoke her and was beaten by Pei Qinghe until he was half-dead. In these two years, Pei Qinghe had wiped out all the mountain bandits, her fearsome reputation spreading far. Zhao Da had more than once regretted not having eyes, provoking the god of slaughter.
At this time, Zhao Da was mixed in among dozens of brothers, shrinking his head as he went up the city wall, wishing to shrink himself into a docile sheep, not attracting the female god of slaughter’s attention.
Unfortunately, what one fears comes.
“Zhao Da, come here.”
Zhao Da wailed inwardly. It had been two years; how did the female god of slaughter still remember his name? But he didn’t dare not respond, so his steps forward were inevitably slow.
Pei Qinghe gave him a cold glare, and Zhao Da’s legs went soft, kneeling down: “Sixth Sister, spare my life!”
Pei Qinghe said coldly: “Go get a saber. If any barbarian climbs the city wall, fight to the death with the saber.”
