binnovel Chapter 1264 Luocheng is breached and Chengdu is besieged
Chapter 1264 Luocheng is breached and Chengdu is besieged
Under the relentless onslaught of the Xiliang army, the walls of Luocheng were gradually showing signs of collapse. Lei Tong and the soldiers defending the city worked day and night to repair the breaches. The bloodstains on their armor dried and then became wet again, and the bloodshot eyes grew increasingly prominent. However, as they watched the Xiliang army surging in like a tide outside the city, their belief in "living and dying with the city" was being worn away little by little.
Outside the city, Liu Bei's reinforcements repeatedly attempted to break through Ma Chao's defenses, but were repelled each time. He personally led generals like Zhang Fei and Zhao Yun in successive fierce attacks, but Ma Chao's iron cavalry was like an impregnable fortress. Whenever Liu Bei's army made the slightest move, Ma Chao would personally lead his elite troops to meet them. That figure in silver armor on a white horse always appeared at the most crucial moment in the most critical place, his spear flashing like a dragon, invincible in its path.
During a battle, Zhang Fei, while covering his flank, was struck in the shoulder by Pang De's broadsword. Although the wound wasn't fatal, it greatly reduced his arm strength, making him less formidable than before. Huang Zhong, already injured in the shoulder, was forced to fight and was grazed by a stray arrow, worsening his condition and forcing him to stay in his tent to recover. The Shu army suffered increasing losses daily, and morale plummeted. Even the usually composed Zhao Yun could not hide his exhaustion.
Pang Tong, seeing this, was deeply worried. Finally, one night, he entered the tent and advised, "My lord, Luo City has been besieged for many days. The city's food supplies are running out, and the defending army is exhausted. Ma Chao is blocking our way, and our army has launched several strong attacks but failed to break through. If this drags on, we may suffer heavy losses, and even Chengdu will be affected." He paused, his voice filled with helplessness, "This Luo City... I'm afraid it cannot be saved. It would be better to retreat to Chengdu first, regroup, and then devise a plan."
Liu Bei slammed his fist on the table, causing the map on it to tremble. He stared at the location of Luo City on the map, his eyes filled with resentment: "But Lei Tong and several thousand soldiers are still inside the city..."
"My lord," Pang Tong said, bowing, "it's not that we're unwilling to rescue him, but that we can't. As long as Ma Chao is here, our army can hardly advance an inch. If we continue to be locked in a stalemate, the Xiliang army might find a weakness and launch a surprise attack on our rear. The consequences would be unimaginable!"
The bugle call of the Xiliang army sounded outside the tent, piercing the night with the arrogance of victors. Liu Bei remained silent for a long time, then finally sighed heavily, his voice hoarse: "Send the order down, withdraw the army and return to Chengdu."
When the news reached Luocheng, Lei Tong stood atop the city wall, gazing at the direction where Liu Bei's army was slowly retreating, then at the Xiliang army still fiercely attacking outside the city. His long sword clattered to the ground. The soldiers behind him could no longer hold on; some collapsed to the ground, while others wept, looking towards their homeland.
With no hope of reinforcements, the will to defend the city completely collapsed.
Ma Chao reined in his horse atop the high slope, watching Liu Bei's figure disappear into the distance, then turned to look at Luo City. The flags on the city walls were already askew, and the defenders' resistance was growing weaker. He raised his hand to signal, and the horns for attacking the city sounded again, louder than ever before.
In this battle, he not only blocked Liu Bei's reinforcements but also broke the morale of the people of Luocheng. Now, it was time to close the net.
The dust from Liu Bei's retreating army had not yet settled, and the defenders on the walls of Luocheng were already as if their bones had been removed, almost losing the strength to even lift their shields. Lei Tong, leaning against the crenellations, looked at the wolf flag fluttering in the wind among the Xiliang army outside the city, his Adam's apple bobbing, and finally he swallowed back a mouthful of blood.
“General…” Zhang Yi’s voice was choked with sobs. Behind him, Zhang Yi gripped his spear tightly, his knuckles turning white.
Lei Tong turned around, a calm smile on his face: "Mr. Xu Jing is a renowned scholar of Yizhou, he cannot be killed here. You protect him and break through the siege from the east gate to Chengdu."
"General, are you going to stay?" Zhang Yi looked up abruptly, his eyes red-rimmed.
"I, Lei Tong, was entrusted by Liu Zhang to defend this city. As long as the city stands, I stand; if the city falls, I die." Lei Tong patted the two men on the shoulders, his voice as deep as city bricks. "Get out of here alive and tell Chengdu what's happening so they can prepare. Hurry up!"
As they spoke, a deafening shout came from outside the city—Ma Chao had personally arrived at the front lines, his silver armor gleaming brightly in the sunlight. He pointed his spear forward, and the Xiliang army surged forward like a flood bursting its banks, pushing ladders and battering rams.
"Kill!" Lei Tong drew his sword and charged towards the breach first. "For Luocheng!"
The defenders roared and followed, their swords slashing at the ladders and their arrows shooting at the enemy soldiers scaling the city walls. But the Xiliang army's offensive was too fierce. One wave retreated, and another surged forward. The city bricks crumbled and crumbled, and the breaches grew wider and wider.
Zhang Yi and Zhang Yi exchanged a glance, gritted their teeth, and, supporting Xu Jing who had rushed to the scene, charged towards the east gate. The fighting there was equally fierce. Zhang Yi felled the leading Xiliang junior officer with a single spear thrust, and Zhang Yi wielded his broadsword, carving a bloody path. The two protected Xu Jing as they fought their way through the chaotic army, sustaining several wounds. Finally, they managed to break through the encirclement through a gap in the collapsed city wall and raced towards Chengdu.
On the city wall, Lei Tong's strength gradually ran out. His broadsword was dulled, and blood seeped from his wounds, staining half of his battle robe red. He watched as the soldiers around him fell one by one. Ma Zhong, riddled with arrows, still held the city gate tightly until he finally died from exhaustion.
"General Lei, surrender!" came the shouts of the Xiliang army from below the city.
Lei Tong, leaning on his sword, slowly straightened up, bowed towards Chengdu, and then committed suicide by cutting his own throat. His subordinate Ma Zhong was killed in battle, and Li Yan was captured.
As the final shout faded, Luo City finally fell. Ma Chao rode into the city, looked at the panicked people in the streets, and ordered in a deep voice: "Do not disturb the people, do not take their property, or anyone who disobeys will be executed!"
The Xiliang soldiers solemnly obeyed the order, deploying along the streets and committing no offenses. The common people, peeking from behind their doors, were slightly relieved to see the disciplined army of this besieged city.
When Xu Jing was escorted to Chengdu, his clothes were stained with blood, and he was emaciated. He knelt before Liu Zhang, sobbing uncontrollably, "My lord, Luo City... has fallen! General Lei, he..."
Liu Zhang slumped in his seat, his face ashen. With Luocheng fallen, Chengdu became an isolated city, and the fierce army led by Ma Chao loomed over Chengdu like a dark cloud.
Inside Chengdu, a somber mood hung heavy in Liu Zhang's palace. Sitting on his couch, Liu Zhang gazed at the bowing officials below, sighing repeatedly, "With Luocheng fallen, the gates are wide open. Ma Chao's iron cavalry will arrive in the blink of an eye. What are we to do..." Before he could finish speaking, a violent cough erupted, his white hair at his temples appearing even more desolate in the candlelight.
The courtiers either bowed their heads in silence or whispered among themselves, but Zhang Song stood in the crowd, his hand secretly clenching in his sleeve. He lowered his eyes, concealing the fleeting joy in them—the Liang King's army was at the city gates, which was exactly what he had been hoping for, but the situation was sensitive at the moment, and he could not reveal even a hint of it.
In these days, he had long seen through Liu Zhang's incompetence and Liu Bei's ambition. Now, with the Liang King's army pressing in, Chengdu was in a situation where Liu Zhang and Liu Bei had joined forces, seemingly with the greater military strength, but in reality, each harbored their own thoughts.
As he was thinking, he suddenly heard footsteps outside the palace. A guard entered and reported, "My lord, Liu Bei has already reorganized his troops in his residence and said that he is willing to live and die with Chengdu."
Upon hearing this, Liu Zhang's expression softened slightly, but he still looked worried: "With Xuande here, perhaps... perhaps we can hold out for a while longer."
Zhang Song sneered inwardly. Hold on?
He quietly raised his eyes and looked at Xu Jing, Wang Lei and others below the steps. Seeing that they all had worried expressions, he knew that they were thinking the same thing as him.
As autumn turned to winter, the cold wind swept across the walls of Chengdu with snowflakes. Ma Chao's siege of this isolated city had lasted for several months.
The Xiliang army's camps stretched for miles outside the city, their banners fluttering in the wind and snow, forming an impregnable iron wall that completely isolated Chengdu from the outside world. The allied forces of Liu Bei and Liu Zhang were trapped inside the city, their anxiety growing like wildfire as they gazed at the snow-covered landscape outside. They had attempted several breakouts, but each time they were repelled by the Xiliang cavalry, suffering heavy losses and their already dwindling morale.
Ma Chao did not commit all his forces to the siege. He left Zhang Ren and Zhang Xiu to jointly oversee the Chengdu campaign, sending troops to harass the city daily or resting and awaiting orders, maintaining constant pressure on the city. Meanwhile, Pang De led another army, advancing swiftly and secretly, to pacify the surrounding counties.
The land of Yizhou is no longer what it once was. The areas of Shu Commandery and Guanghan Commandery have long been pacified by the Xiliang army. The county officials have either surrendered or fled, and the people have gradually settled down under the strict discipline of the Xiliang army. Recently, news of victory also came from Baxi Commandery. Pang De led his army in a strong attack for more than a month and finally captured it. The defending general Yan Yan and Pang Yi fought hard but were defeated and captured. The entire Baxi Commandery was brought under the control of Xiliang.
Since the Xiliang army set out, from Yangping Pass to Jiange, from Jiangyou to Mianzhu Pass, and now to Luocheng and Bazhou, they have swept through the land with unstoppable momentum. By calculation, nearly one-third of the entire Yizhou region has fallen into Ma Chao's hands, and within Shu County, only the isolated city of Chengdu remains, desperately holding on.
On the city wall, Liu Bei wrapped his cloak tighter around himself, gazing at the Xiliang army camp covered in snow in the distance, his brow furrowed. Behind him, Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun, and the others also wore grave expressions. They all knew that as the surrounding counties fell one by one, Chengdu's situation was becoming increasingly dire. Food supplies were dwindling day by day, and the soldiers' winter clothing was mostly torn. If there was no further improvement, the fall of the city was only a matter of time.
Meanwhile, in the Xiliang army camp, Ma Chao stood before a map, his finger tracing the place names around Chengdu. The wind and snow lashed against the tent flaps, but he remained oblivious, his eyes gleaming with a sharp light. Having cleared the outer perimeter, the next step was to concentrate all forces to capture the heart of Yizhou.
The winds of change never cease because of a battle in one corner of the world. During the months that Ma Chao besieged Chengdu, the situation in the Central Plains and Jiangdong was also quietly changing.
In Chaisang, Jiangdong, Zhou Yu stood on the deck of a warship, gazing at the naval forces training on the river, his eyes flashing with a sharp light. After Gan Ning and Taishi Ci led a detachment back from Huainan, he mustered 30,000 elite troops, with Lü Meng as the vanguard, and set off from Yuzhang County, aiming at the four counties of Changsha, Lingling, Guiyang, and Wuling in southern Jingzhou.
The four commanderies south of Jingzhou had always been the granary of Jingzhou, but their defenses were weakened due to Liu Bei's entry into Shu and Guan Yu's garrison in Xiangyang. When Zhou Yu's army arrived, Changsha Commandery was the first to bear the brunt.
Inside the Changsha prefectural government office, Han Xuan's hand, gripping the pen, trembled uncontrollably, the ink spreading widely across the letter pleading for help. Outside the window, the sounds of Taishi Ci's iron cavalry trampling through the streets and alleys mingled with the roar of Gan Ning's navy breaching the city gates. He abruptly threw down his pen, slumped onto his desk, cold sweat soaking his official robes.
"My lord! Three more camps have fallen outside the city!" The guards stumbled in, bloodstains from their armor splattered on the ground. "Taishi Ci's cavalry is already outside the south gate, and Gan Ning's warships have blocked the Xiang River. We... we only have the county town left!"
Han Xuan's vision blurred. He grabbed the letter pleading for help from the table and read it over and over again. His voice was filled with sobs. When he first heard that Jiangdong was invading, he had stubbornly insisted that it was "just a minor ailment." But now, the red circles on the city defense map had completely surrounded the city. One beacon tower after another had been burned down outside the city, and there was still no news from the messengers he had sent to break out of the siege.