Although he had once sworn that the enemy forces were as easy to defeat as "chickens and dogs" and seed to have sure victory within his grasp, the truth was, having even a forty percent chance of winning would have been good. It was just that, as the commander-in-chief and the backbone of the entire army, if he lacked courage himself, how could he expect those below him to fight to the death?
Now, with the great battle upon them, it was all the more crucial for the commander to remain composed. Thus, with an unchanged expression, he looked down at the dense ranks of soldiers below and said with a smile, "Today's first battle may be the toughest one. Once we get through this fight, our circumstances will be much improved. Madman Wang, since you have boasted so boldly, how about you take charge of the defense for the first round?"
"Your Highness can entrust it to , Madman Wang, without worry. If I live, the city stands," shouted Madman Wang with great vigor.
"Good, that's the spirit! I'll have the victory wine ready for you," Lu Xun said as he gently patted Madman Wang's shoulder and laughed while walking down from the city wall.
Once the other generals had descended from the city wall, Madman Wang drew the treasured saber from his waist. The blade glittered in the sunlight. Looking down at the eyes of the soldiers below, he shouted, "Boys, after training for so long, it's ti to show everyone our fighting prowess. The commander has entrusted us with the first battle, and we must not disappoint. Today, we'll show our might!"
"Tiger! Tiger! Tiger!"
Wang Tao, leading the troops at the forefront, looked toward the nearby city wall and, with a smile, said to Mr. Wu, "Sir, what do you think of the outco of this battle?" His words were filled with confidence. Even though the warnings of his family's elder still rang in his ears, Wang Tao believed that Lu Xun's current strength was no match for the Allied Army.
"The outco is hard to predict!" Mr. Wu did not share Wang Tao's optimism. He turned to glance at the army behind him—every champion seed jubilant, as if the victory was already in their hands.
"These n are fine with fighting when the wind is in their favor, but if they et with a setback in the attack, I'm afraid they won't be reliable," Mr. Wu knew well the nature of the Allied Army. It was a force cobbled together by interests, where each person had their own agenda. In the face of difficulties, it would be hard for them to be united and to overco adversity.
"Then let us wait and see!"
As soon as the words were spoken, Wang Tao waved his hand lightly, and the sound of drums arose. Banners flew high as the army comnced its assault on the city, with war cries piercing the heavens and earth—the great battle had begun.
Tian Erniu was an ordinary Chu Soldier. Before Lu Xun's arrival, he was a tenant farr for the Noble Families and Clans, laboring in the fields every day for a living. His family of six were all servants to the Noble Families. In tis of peace, for the sake of their reputation, the Noble Families treated them decently. But during years of conflict, they were treated like beasts of burden, struggling even to scrape together a al.
It was only with Lu Xun's arrival that their miserable lives began to improve. Great Chu allocated lands to them, restoring their freedom and even allowing their children to attend school. Everything seed like a dream. Every day, upon waking, Tian Erniu's parents would circle the newly built family house twice, making sure it was all real.
Now, his greatest dream was to earn a rit, to leave his descendants with enough land to sustain them. The Governnt office had said that this land would be theirs forever, and no one could ever buy it from them.
Gazing at the relentless stream of enemies clambering up the city wall, Tian Erniu clenched his teeth to overco the fear in his heart and swung his large saber tirelessly. With every strike, a spray of blood would follow.
The brutality of the war exceeded everyone's expectations. In just half a day's ti, bodies had piled up at the edge of the city wall. Madman Wang, leading from the front, his body soaked in fresh blood, had a deep gash across his face from which blood freely flowed, yet he remained undaunted, continuing to lead his soldiers in resisting the Allied Army's frenzied onslaught.
The battle raged from day into night, and only when nightfall ca did the Allied Army slowly retreat. Tian Erniu collapsed on the ground, warily watching the edge of the city wall, until he was sure no one was climbing up. Only then did he truly relax; glancing at his cherished saber, he saw it was badly notched from the fighting.
Nurous Chu Soldiers could finally catch their breath. Madman Wang, dragging his wounded body, went around examining the soldiers' injuries. Walking among them, he laughed heartily, "You've all done well, truly worthy of being my Madman Wang's n. We scared the hell out of those guys on the other side, crying for their fathers and mothers. In a while, soone will co up to replace us. You all go back and rest up well. Who knows how much longer this fight will last? It might be our turn again in a few days."
The soldiers by this ti had already been transford, no longer green recruits but seasoned veterans who had seen the brutal realities of life and death in battle and were about to beco truly elite troops.
Lu Xun and Lao Han walked shoulder to shoulder, followed by other generals. Today's focus on the siege was all on Madman Wang's side, so everyone had rushed over.
The chaotic city wall was stained with blood, the air thick with the sting of iron, and the remnants told of the war's brutality. From ti to ti, the agonized screams of injured soldiers could be heard.
"Lao Han, are the dical facilities in the city enough?" Lu Xun asked with concern. He treasured each person and didn't want to see them perish in this fight.
"Rest assured, my lord, we have plenty of dicine. Miss Chen Li has organized the won and children in the city into an ergency dical team to assist in the various clinics, and we have also temporarily conscripted temples and schools to ensure all the wounded are properly taken care of," Lao Han sighed, speaking as an elder of Great Chu, feeling a swirl of emotions seeing the growth of these soldiers that he had witnessed and now watching them fall in such a cruel battle.
"Our soldiers have done well. Today's battle has filled with even greater confidence that they can each take on a hundred foes!" Lu Xun nodded in approval.
He looked towards the distant Allied Army's encampnt, lost in thought. The contradictions there would beco more apparent as ti went on – that would be his opportunity to claim victory. Lu Xun had the patience to wait for that mont.
"My lord, let take our lads and raid their camp tonight, to curb their edge," Chen Xiong eagerly volunteered.
At these words, Lu Xun's eyes lit up. He knew that Chen Xiong had trained a powerful cavalry force – small in number but elite among elites. It was just a sha that in this city defense, they couldn't play a role. Yet now, Chen Xiong was offering to raid the enemy camp himself.
"Isn't that too risky?" Lu Xun was sowhat indecisive.
"My lord, be at ease. My scouts report that the enemy is resting, with only a few on guard. And as cavalry, we strike and withdraw like the wind; we will charge in, kill a few, and then pull out imdiately without getting entangled," Chen Xiong confidently laid out his plan, to nods of agreent from all the surrounding generals.
"In that case, Chen Xiong, you have your orders. Lead Tiger and Leopard Camp in a raid on the enemy camp. Sow chaos with fire, but do not linger in battle!" Lu Xun decided and issued the command.
Chen Xiong happily accepted the order and left to organize his troops, while Lu Xun told the gathered generals with a smile, "Since that's the case, let's watch from atop these walls as General Chen charges into the fray."
Not long after, a detachnt of light cavalry quietly left the city gate. Each soldier was clad in armor and holding a long spear, traveling light without extra equipnt, they launched a lightning-fast charge at the Allied Army's camp.
When the blurry-eyed sentries spotted Chen Xiong's approach, the cavalry was already closing in on the camp. The sentries rubbed their sore eyes, barely believing that any troops would dare to launch an attack from the city at this ti.
The roar of the warhorses brought the sentries out of their stupor; they hastily blew the alarm, signaling the enemy's approach.
But, it was already too late. Under Chen Xiong's rapid advance, the cavalry he led was nearing the camp, and the soldiers of the Allied Army who were just roused from sleep had no ti to dress before they were trampled by the advancing horses.
An enemy general attempted to block them but was skewered by Chen Xiong's lance. He then led his troops to set fire to the camp, and in monts, the Allied Army's encampnt was ablaze against the night sky.
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