Chapter 195: Fierce Battle
Yang Huai’s personal soldiers all turned their heads and snickered.
Yang Huai was somewhat embarrassed and annoyed: “You and I are an engaged couple. What’s wrong with me looking at you?” He paused and then said: “Uncle is preparing to send troops to support Bohai Commandery. I plan to volunteer to go.”
Fighting a war means risking one’s life desperately. One might lose one’s life to a stray arrow or a knife at any moment. He just wanted to look at her more before leaving.
Unfortunately, Pei Yan was born with thick nerves. She blurted out: “If you die on the battlefield, I won’t observe chastity for you.”
Yang Huai was so angry that he turned his head to the side and ignored Pei Yan completely.
Seeing that Yang Huai was really angry, Pei Yan finally reacted. She scratched her messy hair and, unusually introspective for once, said: “What I just said was nonsense. Don’t take it to heart. Go fight the war well and come back safely. Even if you lose a hand or a foot, I won’t abandon you.”
……What touching sincerity.
Yang Huai turned his head back in anger, but when he met Pei Yan’s copper bell-like big eyes, he suddenly realized she was serious.
Fine!
She was just such a girl who spoke without a filter and had no heart or lungs.
Yang Huai hummed: “These are your own words. I’ve remembered them all. You can’t go back on them later.”
The personal soldiers listening felt their teeth ache from the sweetness.
After returning to the barracks, Yang Huai gave Pei Qinghe’s letter to General Yang. After reading it, General Yang let out a long sigh and remained silent for a long time, his brows deeply furrowed.
Yang Huai was surprised in his heart and couldn’t help but say in a low voice: “If General Pei is unwilling to send troops, our Guangning Army can go alone. Why is Uncle hesitating like this?”
General Yang sighed again: “In the letter, General Pei reminds me that as the Youzhou garrison, our greatest duty is to guard the territory and resist foreign enemies. Bohai Commandery has seventy thousand elite soldiers. Tao Wudi is leading a hundred thousand soldiers from afar. In terms of troop strength, the defending side actually has enough forces. Whether the Guangning Army moves or not won’t affect the overall situation. If the Xiongnu barbarians take advantage of the Guangning Army’s absence to attack, that would be very bad!”
It had to be said that Pei Qinghe’s words hit upon General Yang’s hidden worries.
It could also be said that General Yang’s will to send troops wasn’t that firm and was easily swayed. Pei Qinghe was unwilling to send troops and advised against it logically and with evidence. General Yang immediately hesitated.
Yang Huai nodded subconsciously: “General Pei does have a point.”
So, would the Guangning Army send troops or not?
General Yang thought for a long time and finally made a decision: “The rebel army has just arrived in Jizhou, and the two sides haven’t formally engaged yet. Let’s wait and see the movement first. If Bohai Commandery can hold out, we won’t need to send troops.”
……
This wait lasted a month.
Tao Wudi had earned King Qiao’s trust and heavy use for good reason; he did have some capability in fighting wars. The Northern Expedition rebel army didn’t rush to attack the city. They first captured a county town over sixty li away from Bohai Commandery. The hundred thousand strong army easily broke through the city gate, followed by a bloody massacre. Only young women were left.
This was also a common tactic of the rebel army: wherever they went, they massacred a city empty to use as barracks. This was much faster and more convenient than building barracks. It also allowed the rebel army’s soldiers to indulge in killing and women. Such brutal behavior was extremely effective. The rebel army’s morale remained high.
Meng Liulang was furious and repeatedly applied to go out to battle, but all were rejected. He suffocated as he continued to defend the city.
A month later, the rebel army finished resting, with morale at its peak. They prepared a large number of siege weapons and began attacking the city.
On the first day of battle between the two sides, it wasn’t intense; they were just probing each other’s troop strength and combat power.
After probing for five or six days, Tao Wudi said to his subordinates: “Bohai Commandery is a tough nut to crack. The city walls are tall and sturdy, and the Meng Liulang defending the city is a rare fierce general. We need to prepare for a prolonged siege.”
They definitely had to fight, but they needed to prepare for heavy battle damage.
Back when attacking the capital city, the rebel army had died in waves, countless numbers. Over these two years of constant recruiting, not only had they recovered their vital energy, but their troop strength had doubled.
This time, Tao Wudi brought a hundred thousand elite soldiers—the term “elite soldiers” was debatable, but the hundred thousand men were real and unadulterated.
Fighting a war consumed the most money and grain. Before setting out, the rebel army brought a large amount of military rations. They kept robbing grain on the way, so they weren’t short of military rations now. If they ran out, they could just capture a batch of common people, kill and cook them, and have ready military rations.
In short, they could afford to fight and sustain it.
On the seventh day of the siege, Tao Wudi sent out twenty thousand men. He himself sat in command on a war chariot in the rear.
The catapults on the city walls continuously hurled giant stones, and the rebel army below the walls countered with their own catapults. The defending side held the geographical advantage and suffered much lighter casualties. The rebel army pushed cloud ladders, using them for cover to approach the city walls, then used giant wood to ram the city gate. The Beiping Army officers and soldiers on the city walls continuously shot arrows. By afternoon, a group of rebel army soldiers had climbed onto the city walls.
Meng Liulang led troops to charge over, engaging in close combat with blood and flesh flying everywhere.
This was a true fierce battle.
At dusk, the rebel army sounded the gong and retreated, leaving corpses all over the ground.
On the city walls too, there were broken limbs and remains everywhere, blood soaking the ground. The wounded soldiers cried out in pain continuously.
Meng Liulang, wearing soft armor, had only minor injuries, his handsome face expressionless.
Meng Dalang and Zhang Yun came together to comfort the wounded soldiers and boost morale. Under his brother’s meaningful glance, Meng Liulang reluctantly exchanged a few words with Zhang Yun before quickly shutting up.
Meng Dalang said to Meng Liulang: “Tomorrow I’ll defend the city. You rest for a day.”
Meng Liulang said: “Your legs and feet aren’t convenient; it’s not suitable for you to wield a knife and kill. I’ll defend the city.”
“You’re not made of iron either.” Meng Dalang frowned: “Listen to me and go rest for a day. With so many people on the city walls, I can command them to defend without needing to fight myself.”
Meng Liulang was about to speak when Meng Dalang’s face turned cold: “I’m the Beiping Army commander. As vice general, you have to follow my orders.”
Meng Liulang had no choice but to agree.
After sleeping for a day and a night, Meng Liulang was full of vigor as he went up to the city walls.
With the brave and valiant Meng Liulang there, the Beiping Army’s morale soared. After a day of fierce battle, they once again repelled the rebel army.
With successive victories, Meng Liulang of the Beiping Army gained fame resounding throughout Bohai Commandery.
Emperor Jian’an was overjoyed and issued successive commendations. General Zhang and his son also praised nonstop, helping to spread Meng Liulang’s fame.
Meng Dalang soon sensed something was off and privately reminded Meng Liulang: “The Zhang father and son are not to be trifled with. Their lavish praise of the Beiping Army and raising your fame is putting you on the fire basin.”
Meng Liulang sneered: “Anyone with eyes can see their little schemes. They just want to use the rebel army’s knife against the Beiping Army.”
“Right now we need to defend the city and can’t deal with them. Once I defeat the rebel army and my reputation soars, I’ll press those father and son down so they cannot raise their heads.”
