Chapter 21 City Defense Battle (2)
The next day, just after dawn, the two armies started shooting bows and arrows again. The civilians below were still braving arrows and stones, pushing a wheelbarrow to fill the trenches. Two hours later, several trenches had been filled by the Qin army.
At this time, the Qin army rolled out dozens of siege ladders. The ladders were about three feet high, with a large iron hook on the top, which could hook the city wall. The width was about one foot, and it could accommodate five or six people charging side by side. Fifteen degrees bevel. It makes it as easy for soldiers to walk on the ladder as on flat ground. There are four rows of wheels underneath, which can be pushed forward manually. There is also a baffle at the position of the pusher to prevent feather arrows.
Dozens of ladders lined up and slowly approached the city wall. The ladders were already full of soldiers, holding swords and shields. As long as they approached them, they could rush up the city wall and become the first batch of warriors to climb the wall.
It is a great honor to participate in the first batch of sieges in the war, so although the death rate is extremely high, many soldiers still flock to it.
If you can be the first to climb the city wall, you will be able to go up to at least two ranks of title. Many people have been fighting for a lifetime, but they can't raise their titles by two ranks.
With fame and fortune, everyone is naturally striving to be the first.
Qin Dajun followed the cloud cart, braving the arrow rain, flying stones, and flying spears of the Chu army, and moved slowly towards the city wall in an orderly pace. From time to time, someone was injured and fell down, but his companions around him would not take a second look, but had firm eyes keep going.
At this time, the main attack targets on the city are placed on the ladder. Arrows, flying spears, and flying stones all greeted the ladder.
Wang Hong defended this small section of the city wall with only one ladder. Wang Hong aimed at the menacing soldiers standing on the ladder, and a short spear flew towards the soldiers in the front row like lightning with howling sound. The soldier in the front row was obviously also a fierce soldier who had experienced many battles. Seeing that the short spear was approaching menacingly, he did not dodge it.
The short spear flew towards it in an instant, and with a "ding" sound, the single knife broke into two pieces. Immediately afterwards, there was another "puff!" The short spear pierced through the shield, penetrated into the soldier's chest, and protruded a foot-long spear point from his back.
This soldier didn't understand until his death, who is this man, and how can he have such great strength?
Seeing the soldier fall headlong from the ladder, Wang Hong shook his head, not satisfied with only penetrating one person. With more strength in his arm, he threw another spear, which was okay this time, and the three Qin soldiers were threaded into a string like candied haws, and fell from the ladder. Next, Wang Hong kept stringing "candied gourds", and the Qin army in the rear kept adding manpower to the ladder.
Wang Hong didn't show any mercy when he killed these Qin soldiers. If he didn't kill them now, once they reached the city wall, he would kill his comrades in arms. Moreover, the Qin army had the habit of massacring cities when they captured cities. Once defeated, the soldiers and civilians of Huju City will be reduced to slaves even if they are not killed.
When the ladder was only three feet away from the city wall, the soldier pushing the ladder had already been shot to death by the spear throwers for two rounds. The soldiers standing on the ladder were shot more like targets, and more than half of them had been killed at this time. There were also several ladders that were directly thrown apart by the stones, and the soldiers on the ladders were thrown to pieces.
At this time, the Chu army threw earthen jars full of kerosene, which hit the ladder, and the kerosene flowed everywhere. Then a large number of rockets were shot out, and pieces of fire burst out from the ladder immediately. Many soldiers were on fire, even those who were usually tough, were burned to the point of crying.
Seeing this, the Qin army sent a large number of soldiers, some of them took out the wet quilts they had prepared, and threw themselves at the burning place to extinguish the fire.
The other part helps to push the ladder to speed up the progress. After only a few breaths, he rushed to less than a foot away, and a big wooden fork protruded from the city wall, forked the ladder, making it impossible to take a step forward.
Some of the soldiers on the ladder chopped wooden forks with knives, and the other part kicked their legs and jumped directly towards the city wall. Leaping into the air, he was stabbed by a long spear protruding from the city wall, and fell down, either dead or maimed. The few fish that slipped through the net and those who jumped to the city wall by chance were also besieged and died.
However, the Qin army continued to leap towards the city wall, and more and more fish slipped through the net. As long as one or two people can gain a firm foothold a little bit, a gap can be opened for the Chu army's defense. There will be a steady stream of Qin troops leaping to the top of the city.
At this time, there was already a gap in the defense, and a small group of soldiers jumped onto it, and helped a ladder to lean against the city wall. Qin Jun waved his knives and guns like a hornet's nest that had been pierced, shouting, and frantically rushed towards the city.
It is not easy for Wang Hong's Sixth Brigade to defend a ladder, that is, some people need to fork the ladder to prevent it from approaching, and they also have to fight with the warriors of the Qin army who are jumping towards the wall, and they have to take time to shoot and kill them to keep transporting them under the city wall. The driver of dirt and rock. And the arrow rain of the Qin army below has never stopped suppressing the defenders.
Wang Hong carried a five- to six-hundred-pound rock, lifted it high above the top, and threw it at the ladder. With a bang, blood spattered on the ladder and screamed again and again.
Wang Hong smashed another boulder from the side, and with a click, a supporting column on the side broke.
"There is drama!"
Wang Hong smashed more than a dozen boulders one after another.
"Boom!"
The ladder finally disintegrated. The Qin soldiers above were all terrified and fell down the ladder.
"Mighty!"
"Mighty!"
As the ladder fell, there were bursts of cheers on the city wall.
It is also very rare on the battlefield to smash a ladder with personal force. After all, a boulder weighing several hundred kilograms cannot be moved by just one person.
As the ladder fell, the Sixth Team's defense became much easier. Sometimes you can also support the friendly forces on the left and right sides by the way.
This battle lasted until dark before the Qin army retreated. During this period, the Qin army rushed up the city wall several times, but was desperately resisted by the Chu army. They mobilized mobile troops and wiped them out at a considerable price.
Under the city wall, the Qin army has piled up a mound more than ten feet high with corpses and earth and rocks. If the mound is two feet higher, they can directly rush from the mound to the city wall.
The Chu army suffered a lot of casualties on the city wall, and Wang Hong's brigade added a few more wounded soldiers, and now there are only more than 60 soldiers who still have combat strength.
The sixth brigade is not bad, and some recruit brigades have only thirty or forty people left.
At this time, Chu Jun, who had been hungry all day, was leaning against the wall, eating meat and white steamed buns. Each person gets a large bowl of braised pork, and enough steamed buns and rice. Each person is also given a small bowl of wine. Although alcohol is prohibited in the army, it is only for those who are drunk and make mistakes or make troubles when they are drunk. Some wine will be served during the war, which can eliminate fatigue and boost morale.
Wang Hong took out a silver bottle from his pocket, poured himself a bowl of wine, and poured a bowl for Li Xiaoya and Lu Jingou beside him.
"Drinking this is still very useful for relieving fatigue. Tomorrow's battle should be more intense." After Wang Hong finished speaking, he turned to Li Xiaoya, "How is Zhang Tiemao's recovery?"
"I can walk already, and it will probably recover in ten days or so." Li Xiaoya's face was flushed at this time, and I don't know if it was because of drinking or looking forward to it.
Li Xiaoya and Lu Jingou picked up the wine bowl, took a sip, and immediately felt a rush of heat flow down their stomachs, and then quickly radiated to the whole body. The whole body was warm, as if every pore was stretched, and it was dripping freely. Most of the fatigue from fighting for a day dissipated immediately, and he was full of strength again.
Immediately, their eyes lit up, showing a look of surprise. This wine is so amazing, they have never heard of such a strange thing in the world. It was actually able to eliminate fatigue and restore physical strength so quickly.
Just as he was about to speak, Wang Hong waved his hand to stop them from speaking out. Exposure of such things would not be beneficial to Wang Hong, and might even bring disaster. He handed each of them a piece of dried meat casually.
After the two of them ate, not only did the fatigue accumulated in the past two days of fighting disappear, but their own skills improved. He gave Wang Hongbao a grateful smile and saluted.
Wang Hong smiled and waved his hands. These things are nothing to him. The cost is not high, and there is still a lot of space for him.
(end of this chapter)