The Child Emperor

Chapter 171: Assault on the City

The real battle for the defense the city was about to begin. The Xiongnu were arranging their troops in the distance. Their cavalry was stationed at the base of the hill, while a large number of infantry gathered at the top, holding shields and carrying baskets of soil and earth. Flowing Sand City, a city built of earth, provided ready materials once dismantled.

The Xiongnu made no effort to conceal their intentions. The infantry would pile the soil outside the west gate, forming a ramp directly to the top of the city wall.

Prince Donghai glanced from afar, feeling a knot in his heart, but outwardly maintained his composure. He smiled at the surrounding soldiers and said, “The Xiongnu are very courteous. They know Great Chu has abandoned Flowing Sand City and are helping us dismantle the walls as a gift.”

Everyone could only respond with forced laughter, their eyes all turning to Chai Yue, including Prince Donghai.

Chai Yue appeared genuinely calm. He stood by the wall in thought for a moment before beginning to issue orders. Most of these orders were commonplace, things any ordinary officer could think of, but coming from Chai Yue, they seemed to carry a greater assurance of success. Finally, Chai Yue ordered a team to fetch water, filling every bucket, pot, and trough in the city.

Though Prince Donghai was not adept at warfare, he was the first to understand Chai Yue’s intent. Feeling somewhat relieved, he was finally able to laugh heartily, leaving the city wall and entrusting the defense of the city entirely to Chai Yue.

He did not return directly to the General’s Residence but went to the nearby camp where the Weary Marquis’ personal army were. To show his determination to defend the city, Han Ruzi had taken very few people with him, leaving most of his soldiers in the city.

Prince Donghai did not dismount but stopped at the camp gate, sending a follower to call for the camp leader, Chao Hua.

Chao Hua, still retaining the habits of a fisherman from Guaizi Lake and a part-time bandit from Riverside Village, gave a slight bow upon arrival and asked bluntly, “What do you want?”

Prince Donghai smiled and said, “The Xiongnu are about to attack the city. With the Northern Protection General absent, I will ensure your safety. Rest assured, there are more than twenty thousand regular Chu troops in the city. As long as they remain, there will be no need to mobilize the Northern Protection General’s personal soldiers.”

Chao Hua and a few nearby soldiers remained silent, their faces stern. Prince Donghai continued, “Do not act rashly. I will be at the General’s Residence. Come to me if anything happens.”

As Prince Donghai left, Chao Hua’s face turned grim. One of the soldiers said, “Have we followed the Northern Protection General for so long just to sit idle?”

“Prince Donghai is clearly trying to goad us,” another said.

Chao Hua raised his hand to stop the chatter and ordered, “Bring my horse.” Looking at the familiar faces, he said, “Prince Donghai’s words were unnecessary. Even without his provocation, I would request to join the battle. Are you all prepared?”

They all nodded in unison.

Without further words, Chao Hua mounted his horse and rode straight to the west of the city.

Chai Yue had descended from the wall and was organizing soldiers to draw water from the wells. There were more than ten deep wells in Shattered Iron City, covered by structures to shield them from the elements, and they were still functional. The water drawn could not be left in the open, so many houses in the west of the city were cleared out to store the water in buckets and iron pots.

Dismounting, Chao Hua followed Chai Yue, listening to him issue one order after another as they walked through the streets.

Once the arrangements were mostly made and the specific tasks were handed over to the officers, Chai Yue started back to the city wall, motioning for Chao Hua to follow.

“Why prepare so much water?” Chao Hua still did not understand the purpose of this move.

Chai Yue smiled and said, “The Xiongnu intend to pile soil to attack the city. Once they’ve nearly completed it, we will freeze the city wall with water, making it impossible for them to climb.”

Chao Hua suddenly understood and nodded repeatedly.

“Is there something you need?” Chai Yue asked.

Chao Hua, standing in front, replied earnestly, “The defenders are not just Chu troops but also the thousand private soldiers of the Northern Protection General. It seems General Chai has forgotten about us.”

“I haven’t forgotten. An army has its vanguard, its main force, and its reserves. The private soldiers are the reserve.”

“We want to be the vanguard,” Chao Hua said anxiously.

Chai Yue was silent for a moment. He had reasons for not using the private soldiers. Firstly, these were the private soldiers of the Northern Protection General, and without their master, they should not be used rashly. Secondly, their training was still insufficient, and they could not be compared to the regular Chu troops.

Chai Yue, having grown up in a military camp, had a natural interest in training and using soldiers. To him, the qualities of being well-trained and obeying orders were far more important than bravery in battle. He liked regular soldiers who could accurately understand the general’s intentions and neither panic nor act rashly in battle. Even though he had not led the army for long, Chai Yue could command the troops as naturally as using his own limbs. Just like the ambush the previous night, an immature army would have had some soldiers unable to withstand the sound of the Xiongnu horses’ hooves, rushing out to fight and ruining the plan.

Regular Chu troops, even the Northern Army which had a poor reputation, could strictly follow orders, standing silently under a dangerous wall.

“Have your men ready.” Chai Yue was not very familiar with the private army, but he respected their desire to fight.

“We’ve been ready for a long time!” Chao Hua said joyfully.

“War is unpredictable. You might have to wait a long time. I will only let you fight when necessary. Do not act without my orders. Understood?”

“Understood. But we have one request: if General Chai sends troops out of the city, let us be the first.”

“Agreed,” Chai Yue nodded.

A messenger ran up, “General Chai, the Xiongnu are advancing toward Shattered Iron City.”

Chao Hua left, and Chai Yue led his guards and officers up the city wall, looking west.

The Xiongnu advanced at a slow pace, their cavalry and infantry moving together, resembling giant crawling insects or a vast swath of grass slowly consuming the wasteland.

Prince Donghai could not stay idle at the General’s Residence and came to watch the battle, standing beside Chai Yue with a slightly pale face. “Are we just going to wait?”

“The Xiongnu have many troops, so they should attack first.”

Prince Donghai forced a couple of laughs, looking around. “The soldiers’ morale is good. They all know what to do without your orders.”

Chai Yue grunted in acknowledgment, his eyes never leaving the distant Xiongnu. “This is the strength of the Chu army. Good training leads to effective responses in times of crisis.”

Chai Yue called an officer from behind. “Notify the north wall to be on guard. The Xiongnu cavalry might attack there.”

The officer left with the order. Prince Donghai, puzzled, said, “The north is near the river and narrow. Why would the Xiongnu cavalry choose to attack there instead of the open south wall?”

Chai Yue guessed the Xiongnu infantry would pile soil at the west city while their cavalry responded from the north. As for the south wall, he was less concerned. “The Xiongnu’s usual tactic is to surround on three sides, leaving one side open to lure the enemy to escape, then have their cavalry pursue them. Look at that cavalry in the southwest; they’re there to intercept any escapees.”

Prince Donghai looked southwest. There indeed was a group of cavalry, their numbers unclear, stationary but positioned to intercept the southern city road. Once they charged, they could quickly flank and intercept fleeing Chu troops.

Prince Donghai’s face paled further. “If the Xiongnu block the southern pass, will the reinforcements from Divine Hero Pass be unable to reach us?”

“Yes, they won’t get through.” Chai Yue called another officer to clear the city wall entrance, preventing any blockage. Then he moved to the other side of the wall to observe the streets below. Seeing any potential congestion points, he sent men to clear them, willing to break walls and doors to ensure the smooth delivery of water to the wall later.

To him, the main task of battle was not just watching the enemy’s movements or fighting bravely. These were important but handled by specialized personnel. As the commander, his duty was to ensure his side was fully prepared and orderly.

Prince Donghai admired Chai Yue’s composure but was also frustrated by his aloofness. Just as he was about to ask more questions, Chai Yue said, “The Xiongnu are hesitant to approach the pass, fearing an ambush.”

“They may be hesitant now, but they will eventually muster the courage.”

“That’s why we must trust the Northern Protection General to bring reinforcements quickly,” Chai Yue said calmly. He could blunt the Xiongnu’s initial assault and deal with their earthen ramps, but these were delaying tactics. An isolated city was hard to defend. Without reinforcements, Shattered Iron City would eventually fall to the Xiongnu.

Prince Donghai was silent for a while, following Chai Yue back to the other side. He was shocked to see how close the Xiongnu had gotten. The cavalry at the base of the hill was accelerating towards the north wall as Chai Yue predicted, while the infantry on the hill erected long shields and carried not just soil but also a lot of wood.

“Escort Prince Donghai back to the General’s Residence,” Chai Yue ordered, not wanting anyone to disrupt the Chu troops’ morale.

“General Chai, do your best. I’ll be waiting with wine at the residence to celebrate,” Prince Donghai said, trying to maintain his composure. He hurriedly descended the wall, mounted his horse, and had not gone far before hearing the war drums from the city wall.

In the private army camp, nearly a thousand soldiers stood in formation, holding their horses and spears, ready to fight the Xiongnu at a moment’s notice.

Prince Donghai waved at them, passed the General’s Residence, and went to the noble camp, where he found more like-minded individuals.

There were not many left in the noble camp. Most of the servants had been conscripted to fetch water, transport equipment, and serve the entire Chu army rather than just their masters.

Over half of the noble scions had joined the fight, leaving about 150 in the camp, finding various reasons to stay. Chai Yue did not force them to fight.

The drums on the city wall beat rhythmically, mixed with shouts and unidentifiable booms. The noble sons gathered, seeking comfort from each other but only becoming more terrified.

In front of this group, Prince Donghai regained some confidence. He rode into the camp and stood before them. “Put on your armor, take up your weapons, and prepare to prove that you are the elite and pillars of Great Chu. If the city stands, we stand; if the city falls, we die!”

No one responded, but they all feared Prince Donghai and quickly ran to their rooms, donning armor and taking up swords. Without their servants’ help, many wore their armor incorrectly and had to help each other tie the straps.

Prince Donghai felt slightly satisfied and decided to stay in the noble camp instead of returning to the General’s Residence.

A few more booms sounded from somewhere, and soon a messenger arrived on horseback, shouting in the street, “Private army, head to the north wall immediately!”

The messenger repeated his call several times before arriving at the noble camp’s gate. He did not receive orders to mobilize the noble youths but found it odd to see over a hundred idle men.

Without a word, the messenger rode away.

“What are you waiting for? Go defend the north gate!” Prince Donghai shouted, but he was shocked inside. Shouldn’t the ramp still be incomplete? How could the north gate be at risk already?

The Xiongnu were attacking too quickly. For the first time, Prince Donghai sincerely missed Han Ruzi, his elder brother.

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