…
Seven days later, under the supervision of Fa Yangmao, the Chu army summoned all the craftsmen from all counties in Yongzhou, worked day and night, and finally built six trebuchets, and set up a formation in front of Suoyunguan Pass, preparing to launch an attack.
"Is this the weapon that helped Liu Ce conquer the city? Okay, let's use it today to turn Suoyun Pass into ruins."
Fa Yang patted the trebuchet placed in front of the formation and couldn't help but praise it.
The next moment, his face darkened: "Have you learned how to operate it?"
Qin Zongquan said hurriedly: "Reporting to the Prime Minister, I may still be a little unfamiliar, but it is really enough to break through this small Suoyun Pass."
Fa Yang nodded: "Then let's test fire one round first to see how powerful this trebuchet is."
"As you command!"
Qin Zongquan received the order loudly, and then directed the soldiers to nervously start loading projectiles.
At Suoyun Pass, Wang Chang, who observed the movements of the Chu army with the help of a looking glass, frowned.
He put down the looking glass, shook his head, and muttered: "Now we are in trouble. The rebels have trebuchets. Next, it will be our turn to be beaten."
Sun Xueyou heard this and patted the crenel: "It's a shame that this city wall is not made of cement ash, otherwise how can we be afraid of this trebuchet."
Wang Chang: "Okay, what's the use of talking about this now? Hurry up and set up fortifications to prepare for the next enemy offensive."
Sun Xueyou: "Standing at the top of the city will only become a target for trebuchets. How about withdrawing everyone to the bottom of the city to avoid the rolling stones?"
Wang Chang shook his head: "No, if the enemy suddenly starts to use human sea tactics, we may not have time to react."
Sun Xueyou thought for a while and said: "Let's leave thirty people at the top of the city to observe the enemy's movements, so that we can have a response even if the rebels launch an offensive."
Wang Chang nodded: "That's all we can do now. You can take the brothers down first. I'll guard the city."
Sun Xueyou immediately refused: "Old Wang, it is not as useful for you to stay at the top of the city as for me to stay. After all, my eyes are so bright."
Wang Chang frowned: "You want to disobey military orders?"
Sun Xueyou smiled casually: "You really take yourself seriously. When you return to the military academy and are officially assigned military ranks, you can show off as a superior."
Wang Chang grabbed Sun Xueyou by the collar and said, "Sun, now is not the time to show off. You are the only one in your family. If something happens, how will your sister survive?"
Sun Xueyou threw away Wang Chang's hand: "Are you trying to curse me to death? You should understand that from the first day of entering the military academy, we are members of the Han army.
Even if something unexpected happens, the pension for the fallen soldiers will be handed over to my sister. With this money, they will be able to live a good life without me to support them in their old age. What a waste of worry!
Besides, which one of us is not an orphan? You, Lao Wang, are the only ones left with you and your brother. Why do I have to hide? "
"But……"
"No but, Lao Wang, don't you want to be a general? Then show some general momentum. The so-called war is ruthless.
Try to keep more people alive and kill more enemies. Don't act like a bitch. This makes me look down on you. Go away! "
Sun Xueyou gave Wang Chang a hard push and threw him aside.
"Alas~ The whole army obeyed the order, leaving behind thirty brothers who are not afraid of death, and the rest came to the pass with me to take shelter temporarily!"
Wang Chang knew very well that the risk of staying at the top of the city was very huge, and Sun Xueyou had obviously decided to die.
What he should do is to ensure that more people survive and persist until reinforcements arrive.
As for when the reinforcements would arrive, he really had no idea.
…
On the other side, Zhu Xuan, who was ordered by Wang Chang, has been wandering around the towns and villages near Suoyunguan to seek support these days.
However, no matter how hard he tried, not only did he fail to invite reinforcements, but he also spread the news of the Chu army's attack to the people, causing a large number of people to migrate to the interior.
On this day, Zhu Xuan, who was really desperate, came to Zi County...
After the magistrate of Zi County heard the news, he was also frightened and paced back and forth in the hall anxiously.
"What? Suoyun Pass has not been captured yet?"
At this moment, a familiar voice echoed in the lobby of the county government office. It was Zhu Tong who had escaped from the battle that day.
When Zhu Tong saw Zhu Xuan, he was stunned for a moment, and then his eyes couldn't help but dodge.
Zhu Xuan snorted coldly and immediately asked: "I wish you well, General."
Zhu Tong hurriedly stopped and said, "Stop talking. I know what you want to say. Yes, I am a bastard. I am not a thing, but I just want to live. What's wrong with that?"
Zhu Xuan was furious: "Who doesn't want to live? But you don't look at your identity. The Han Shu officials and soldiers fled without fighting when facing the bandits.
Don't you feel embarrassed that a group of students are allowed to fight against powerful enemies on our behalf? We have been completely embarrassed by the people of Shu! "
Zhu Tong didn't answer. He sighed and sat at the door of the palace, holding his head in shame.
Seeing this, the county magistrate said to Zhu Xuan: "Don't blame General Zhu, Vice-General Zhu. He feels bad too. Alas...it's just that the bandit army is so powerful that more than a thousand people can't hold Suoyun Pass. It's understandable."
Zhu Xuan shouted sternly: "It's excusable. It's natural to leave four hundred students at Suoyunguan. There are tens of millions of people in Shu. Do we have to rely on these four hundred students to guard the country for us?"
Zhu Tong suddenly raised his head and shouted loudly: "Zhu Xuan, you don't have to scold me anymore. In fact, I have regretted it since I retreated to Zi County!
Do you know how much suffering I endured every day during this period? My mother knows that I ran away without a fight, and now she doesn’t even want to see my face.
My daughter-in-law doesn’t recognize me as her husband, and even the army lieutenants privately scolded me for being greedy for life and afraid of death. Do you think I really feel at ease?
Wrong, I feel uncomfortable, more uncomfortable than anyone else. If I had known this, I might as well have died at Suoyunguan Pass! Alas~"
After Zhu Tong vented his emotions, he squatted on the ground again with his head wrapped, his eyes turning red.
Zhu Xuan sighed, stepped forward and said to Zhu Tong: "General Zhu, I understand your mood, who is not afraid of death? However, Shu is our homeland, can we bear to watch being ravaged by the bandit army?
Even if you have nothing to do now, what happens next? When the war is over and Governor Yu investigates the case, you will not escape death either.
Even if the death penalty can be avoided, how will I be able to meet the elders in my hometown in the future? Furthermore, if word of this gets out, we Shu people will be called cowards wherever we go.
General Zhu, I beg you as my last general, please help us Shu people gain back all the shame we have lost. Isn’t it just a hundred thousand bandits?
Those students are not afraid, so what should we be afraid of? What's more, Suoyun Pass has not been captured so far, which is enough to show that the Chu thieves are just a mob.
General Zhu, go and support Suoyunguan. You are the commander of Suoyunguan, you can't just give up! "
Zhu Tong gritted his teeth and stood up after a long time: "Yes, I am the general of Suoyun Pass. The Shu people cannot lose their face because of me. Go back and fight with those sons of bitches!"
Zhu Tong's words immediately made the county magistrate's eyes shine, and he immediately shouted to the guards outside the door: "Come here, transfer the two hundred officers from my office to Suoyunguan.
Listen to General Zhu's instructions. In addition, quickly notify the squires from all over Zi County. If you have money, you will provide money, and if you don't have money, you will send people. How many young and strong people will be sent to Suoyunguan by me!
Also, I wrote a letter of resignation, requesting the other counties to jointly send troops to defend against the enemy. I am so happy that I will risk my life. At worst, I will not give up this official hat, but I will also save the face of our Shu people! "
