NOVPUBRuthless volleys of arrows whistled above and below the city walls, like the piercing autumn wind sweeping across the battlefield. Samurai and militia on both sides fell like leaves in that wind by the tall city walls, wilting away. The wilted leaves fell into the mud, the nourishment from their bodies seeping out and staining the cobblestones and earth a deep red. Thus, the city walls became like maple trees, and the fallen leaves became maple leaves.
The mournful beauty of the battlefield reflected in the eyes of the young commander, as well as mirroring his calm, lake-like demeanor. On the left side of the city walls, Ottopan warriors continuously scaled the ramparts only to be driven back down by the Tarasco defending army, unable to secure a breach. The surrounding militia also gradually gathered, hurling logs, boulders, javelins, and arrows as if they cost neither money nor life. 𝚗ov𝚙𝚞𝚋.c𝚘m
Soon, with a piercing blare of conch shells, hundreds of Tarasco samurai reinforcements surged to the top of the walls. They formed a dense and powerful spear formation, thrusting alternately, making it impossible for the Ottopan warriors to hold their ground. The lean warriors clung desperately to their shields as they retreated down the walls in a disheveled rout, showing the beginnings of a collapse.
Xiulote’s gaze sharpened as he scrutinized the supporting Tarasco samurai. They had resolute expressions, tightly gripping wooden shields and copper spears, with crocodile or turkey totems on their leather armor, exhibiting a high level of combat discipline and being extremely wary of longbows.
"This must be the enemy’s most elite reserve troops! With the continuous depletion, there are only ten thousand fort defenders remaining. If we launch a full assault now, even with additional casualties of three thousand samurai, we should be able to take the fortress in one fell swoop!"
Xiulote hesitated in his heart. He looked around at his loyal Holy City samurai, the fanatical Temple Guards, and the stringent Spear Formation army. These were his direct pillars of support and the core strength of the Holy City lineage. The young commander then made up his mind and waved the command flag.
"Sound the horn, retreat!"
The fierce drumming came to an abrupt halt, and the sharp conch signal finally sounded—a moment’s clash as long as a century. Hearing the signal, the Ottopan warriors, who had been desperately holding on, retreated swiftly. They jumped down from the walls, raised their shields for cover, and fled towards the rear without hesitation. The severely wounded who could not move were ruthlessly left behind, along with the ladders that had been placed against the city walls.
The Tarasco on the walls erupted into a cheer. Then came another volley of arrows, pinning the exposed enemy defenders, and the walls quickly became quiet again.
It wasn’t until then that Jiowar emerged from a corner below the city, retreating with the attacking trusted aides. As the Commander-in-Chief of the legion, he led the charge but did not ascend the walls himself. He simply found a corner difficult to shoot into and, under the protection of the Great Shield, directed the nearby battle situation.
Xiulote waved the flag again. Dozens of small stone-throwing machines were moved to the front lines, and from a safe ninety paces away, they launched a round of flaming Paper Fireballs. The Fireballs traced inaccurate arcs, mostly landing inside and outside the walls, burning the buildings within. A few that landed on the ramparts burst into large flames, igniting over a dozen Great Shields and turning scores of defending soldiers into screaming torches. Thick smoke soon rose, and the gas from burning sulfur spread continuously, enveloping the top and bottom of the walls in toxic fumes.
Seeing the launch of the Paper Fireballs, the fortress defenders breathed a sigh of relief. In this choking smoke, it was difficult for anyone to fight, and today’s siege had come to an end. The supporting Tarasco samurai withdrew to the rear again, entering buildings beyond the reach of bowfire. The overseeing samurai crouched down, covering their faces and mouths with several layers of cotton cloth. Under their stern commands, the militia coughed while chopping off the wooden ladders and used sand and earth prepared on the walls to extinguish fires and smoke.
The retreat signal sounded again. Under the cover of the thick smoke, the rearguard Ottopan warriors took away those with less serious injuries. Longbow warriors fired a final volley of Feathered Arrows, and hundreds of shield carts stationed fifty paces from the city began to slowly retreat. Then came several slow-moving nest carts, with the cart-pushers suffering heavy casualties. Finally, the Stirrup Crossbowmen gradually descended from the platforms.
After the besieging legions had all retreated, Xiulote looked back at the city walls once more. Many of the small fires had been extinguished with earth, and the exhausted Tarasco militia lay collapsed behind the Wooden Shields and earth mounds on the ramparts.
The Tarasco were skilled at building pyramids and equally adept at constructing fortifications. The city ramparts originally had simple battlements meant to fend off the relatively low-powered traditional Wooden Bows. Over the months, under the threat of Mexica bows and crossbows, nearly two-meter high Great Wooden Shields were erected on the walls to block arrows, many still bearing the outlines of doors and windows.
In places where there were not enough Wooden Shields, mounds of earth over a meter high were piled up. These earth mounds served not only to protect against bows and crossbows but also to extinguish fires. After Mexica Paper Fireballs continuously ignited the Wooden Shields, the Tarasco merged the earth mounds and Shields and raised their height even further. In fact, these rudimentary but practical defensive measures could also protect against Matchlock Guns and small-caliber cannon.
"In wars of survival, people will fully exert their initiative to build fortifications and modify equipment, adapting to the conditions of war. Especially in this era of prolonged strife that has lasted for hundreds of years."
The young commander gazed thoughtfully at everything on the ramparts. He never underestimated the wisdom of his ancestors. People of the times simply could not see the direction of the future, but they were not without experience in production and warfare.
In the confrontation among various powers, the advantage brought by advanced weapons can only last for a short time. Samurai will always find ways, from the lore of spiritual beliefs and practical equipment, to gradually adapt to emerging weapons. But the real advantage of a nation must be built on the innovation of systems and productivity, based on the strength of national power, and this is also the case with the confrontation with Europeans.
