The allied forces of Nanzhou, Linzhou, and the rest of the five states set up camp ten li away from Cangzhou City.
They didn't dare to get too close. If they got too close, Wei Liang and the rest would let them have a taste of the Red Barbarian Cannon. They also didn't dare to attack the city. The city gates were sealed. If they rushed to the bottom of the city walls, Sky Law would reap lives like harvesting chives.
Logically speaking, after two attempts at sieging the city, they did not gain any advantage at all. In fact, they did not even touch the enemy, but they had already suffered such a huge loss. An ordinary army would have long lost their morale, and they would have been utterly defeated. Yet, the other party was still able to maintain their composure. Either the other party's morale was high, or the other party's commander was a little girl …
Chen Qing saw their actions clearly with the high-powered binoculars on the city walls. Without food, the enemy's general was decisive. They killed the horses to eat. Although this action could temporarily solve the problem of hunger, it was equivalent to completely giving up on the cavalry. It seemed like they wanted to hold on until the reinforcements arrived.
He really didn't have the heart to tell them that their reinforcements wouldn't be coming back. When they finished eating the horse meat and were dizzy from hunger and exhausted, General Wei would order the city gates to be opened. He would lead a new army that was full of energy and equipment to bombard them with Tian Fa and the Red Barbarian Cannons to give them the final blow.
The citizens of Cangzhou City could finally relax. Although when the enemy attacked the city, the rumbling outside made people panic, and the city was in chaos, but His Highness had won, and won so easily. In their hearts, they finally had confidence.
Li Duan was also relieved. He had learned all the martial arts that little aunt taught him before she left. He wouldn't be spanked because he couldn't report back …
At this time, it was already the third day of the allied forces attacking the city.
On top of the city wall, Wei Liang put away the binoculars and said, "They have eaten all their horses. This morning, they started digging wild vegetables to fill their stomachs. Let's starve them for another three days. Three days later, we will go out of the city to meet the enemy!"
General Fan curled his lips. "Meet my ass. If they still have the strength to hold weapons after three days, I will be convinced!"
He walked to the edge of the city wall and said, "It's about time. Release it."
"Yes!"
A few guards responded and lowered a huge curtain made of cloth from the city wall.
Not long after, a horse galloped into the barracks outside the city.
A moment later, a deputy general walked into the main tent and said in a deep voice, "General Pang, a scout just came back and said that they wrote on the city wall …"
The middle-aged man frowned. "What word?"
The deputy general opened his mouth and said with difficulty, "Those who surrender will not be killed!"
General Pang slammed the table and roared, "Bastard!"
"General, we've run out of rations. The soldiers haven't eaten well these past few days. Many of them are vomiting and having diarrhea. Why haven't the people who went to transport the rations returned …"
A gloomy expression appeared on General Pang's face as he said, "I've already sent people to investigate. There will be news in at most two days …"
"But the soldiers can't wait another two days. Since yesterday, hundreds of deserters have appeared …" The deputy general looked at him and murmured, "General, let's retreat. Cangzhou is no longer the Cangzhou of the past. We can't take it …"
Clang!
General Pang pulled out a long saber hanging at the side and placed it on the deputy general's neck. He glared at him and said angrily, "Say that again, and I will behead you for disturbing the morale of the army!"
The deputy general's face turned pale and immediately said, "Please forgive me, General!"
General Pang removed the long saber from the deputy general's neck and said, "Pass down the order. Tonight at midnight, we will launch a surprise attack on Cangzhou!"
"Yes!"
The deputy general walked out of the tent and wiped the trace of blood on his neck. His face was slightly gloomy.
Outside the tent.
The patrolling soldiers were pale and moved slowly. As they patrolled, the weapons in their hands fell to the ground and they bent down to pick them up with great effort. They looked weak and lifeless, like zombies.
Cries of anguish could be heard from the various tents. These days, it had been non-stop.
In a certain tent, dozens of people were gathered together. Their faces were sallow and emaciated.
One of them gulped and said weakly, "What is the general thinking? There's clearly no more rations. Why aren't we retreating?"
As soon as the words came out, several voices immediately came from the tent.
"Yes, I told them three days ago that the troops escorting the rations will arrive soon, soon … It's been three days, and the wild vegetables and tree barks near the camp have all been eaten up. Why haven't they arrived yet?"
"Didn't Brother Qi say that he saw with his own eyes that a banner was hung on Cangzhou's city wall saying that those who surrender will not be killed and there will be meat to eat. Those who surrender will be given military merits …"
"Is there really such a thing …"
…
"Shut up!" A person walked in from outside the tent and shouted angrily.
The people in the tent shuddered and shrunk their heads back. They whispered, "General."
Discussing defecting in the army was a capital offense. Just like those deserters, their heads were hung in front of the formation after they were captured. If they were not the general's personal guards, they would have already knelt and begged for mercy.
The deputy general looked at them and said, "Who gave you the guts to discuss this in the tent!"
"General, we are wrong!" The few of them knelt on the ground and said in unison.
The deputy general stood where he was and looked at them. After a while, he said, "Qi San, come with me."
The scout called Qi San was called to another tent. The people in the tent looked at each other with flickering eyes.
A short while later, the scout called Qi San returned to his tent. Another hour passed, and the rest of the people walked out of their tents and entered the other tents …
…
On the city walls of the Cangzhou's capital, Wei Liang received an arrow from a soldier and removed a paper tube from the end of the arrow. A smile appeared on his face as he tossed it to General Fan beside him.
"They wanted to send people over at midnight to secretly break through the city wall. What a good idea." General Fan pursed his lips and said, "Tell the brothers to perk up for this general tonight!"
It was night, midnight.
The moon was dark and the wind was strong. There were no stars in the night sky. The entire city of Cangzhou was shrouded in darkness.
Outside the city walls, a black shadow was slowly approaching the city walls.
"Even the heavens are helping me …" Behind the crowd, General Pang looked at the pitch-black night and ordered, "After entering the city, think of every way possible to hollow out the city wall. The others will cover the attack …"
"Gulp …" Suddenly, a strange sound was heard.
A person beside him held his stomach and whispered, "General, I'm sorry, I can't control my stomach …"
General Pang frowned and glared at his personal guard. "Bear with it for a while more. When we enter the city, you can eat as much as you want …"
As soon as he finished speaking, a large fire suddenly lit up on the city wall.
He was only stunned for a moment before he immediately said, "Attack the city!"
Poof!
The sound of a sharp sword piercing into flesh could be heard.
General Pang was very familiar with this sound. Just a few days ago, he had pierced his sword into the chest of the deputy general who had disturbed the morale of the army.
At this moment, another deputy general stood behind him and whispered in his ear, "General, I'm sorry. His Majesty only wants you to live because you want to conquer Cangzhou. However, we also want to live …"
"Only by following Her Highness can we live and have meat to eat …" He slowly pulled out his sword and said, "So, General, please die …"
General Pang clutched his chest, the light in his eyes frozen.
The deputy general threw down the blood-stained sword in his hand and said loudly, "General Pang is dead, we are willing to surrender!"
The hundreds of soldiers beside him put down their weapons and said in unison, "General Pang is dead, we are willing to surrender!"
Countless people in the distance stared at the people in front of them in a daze. They saw the group of people kneeling on the ground, and when they heard the words "General Pang is dead", they were momentarily stunned before they put down their weapons and knelt on the ground.
"We can't surrender!"
"We can't surrender!"
"You are committing treason …"
…
There were many different voices, but these voices did not last long before they were drowned out by the voices around them …
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