NOVPUBLi Tong was also a decisive figure, fully understanding the concept of "breaking the cauldrons and sinking the boats." Although their current situation did not require such drastic measures, conveying that sense of resolve to the soldiers brought a significant boost in morale.
"Very well. Pass down the order for the troops to settle down and cook meals, prepare three days' rations, and break camp after lunch. Prepare for a decisive battle at Xiapi!" Li Tong immediately commanded.
When Zhang Fei arrived at the designated battlefield, several dozen miles south of Xiapi, he began setting up his military formation under Chen Deng's guidance. Although Chen Deng's understanding of formations was only mediocre, it was still sufficient to outmatch Li Yan's similarly unremarkable abilities.
Before long, a Xuanxiang Formation with the Spearhead Formation as its foundation was deployed. Of course, in the eyes of true experts in military formations like Ju Shou and Li Youu, this formation was riddled with flaws. Even an army with one-third of Chen Deng's troops could easily rout him. Formation techniques were challenging; without sufficient expertise, attempting them often led to disaster.
When Li Yan arrived with his force of 8,000, he observed the opposing troops' well-ordered movements and responses, feeling an unease grow within him. Although the structure resembled the Xuanxiang Formation, he had never seen this particular adaptation before.
"Indeed, the coordination is impressive. People say Chen Yuanlong is a renowned statesman of this era. I had my doubts before, but seeing him today, he truly lives up to his reputation." Li Yan, seated on horseback, displayed a slightly grim expression.
"General, this formation looks like a Spearhead Formation, yet it is disorganized and chaotic in its details. Amid the chaos lies an intent to confuse—I've tried deducing weak points to attack from different directions, but each approach seems futile." Liang Xi analyzed the formation, but after some scrutiny, only felt dizzy and was unable to discern its elaborate structure.
"Breaking this formation will be difficult, but our goal is merely to stall the enemy. As long as we can safeguard our position, the opportunity to turn the tide will naturally present itself." Li Yan, harboring apprehensions about Chen Deng's formation, still managed to discern certain elements within it, preventing him from underestimating it entirely.
"Yuanlong, do you think Li Yan can dismantle this formation of yours?" Zhang Fei asked, feeling slightly anxious. His previous encounter with Li Yan made it evident that Li Yan had a solid grasp of military formations.
"I can't guarantee he won't break it, but I know his aim is to hold us off. General, you can rest assured. This Xuanxiang Formation was taught to me by my father and has never been shown to outsiders. It is a completely new formation." At first, Chen Deng expressed uncertainty, but in the latter part of his remarks, his tone brimmed with confidence.
"Good. The rest will depend on Xiaoo Zhi and Xingba," Zhang Fei replied resolutely. Though the plan involved a degree of risk, he focused on performing his duties to the best of his abilities in such a pressing situation. 𝓷ℴ𝓿𝓅𝓊𝒷.𝓬𝓸𝓂
"Li Yan! The other day you challenged me to a formation battle. Today I've laid down my formation—do you dare to break it?" Zhang Fei rode forth, brandishing his Serpent Spear while pointing it at Li Yan, his thunderous roar echoing across the battlefield. His soldiers immediately responded with deafening shouts of their own.
"Merely a Xuanxiang Formation—what is there to fear? Watch as I shatter your so-called formation!" Li Yan laughed heartily, selecting a weakness he had spotted in the formation earlier, and charged in. The two armies quickly clashed, plunging into a fierce melee.
Meanwhile, as Zhang Fei left his position, Li Tong led his forces to encircle Xiapi City. Employing various siege weapons with relentless fervor, they launched an all-out assault on the city. Similarly, the garrison of Liu Bei's Army inside Xiapi had foreseen Zhang Fei's absence and sealed the city gates with massive stones, rendering frontal assaults futile.
In these circumstances, with Zhang Fei absent but Liu Bei's Army well-prepared, a brutal siege-and-defend battle erupted between them and the less-informed Yuzhou Army under Li Tong's command.
After three reckless attempts to probe the defenses, suffering significant casualties, the Yuzhou Army succeeded in filling another section of the moat they had been laboring to cover for some time. With this milestone achieved, they initiated a full-scale siege.
"Pour it!" An old veteran commanded the new recruits to dump boiling golden liquid from the city walls. Soldiers climbing up the Cloud Ladders screamed in agony, rolling down upon contact.
Before anyone else could ascend the ladders, the seasoned defenders used Long Spikes to dislodge them, causing numerous Yuzhou soldiers to fall to their deaths as the ladders collapsed.
"It seems the enemy was prepared for this," Lai Min remarked to Li Tong.
"That's to be expected. Chen Deng is a cautious man, after all," Li Tong nodded. If there had been no preparations at all, he might have found it suspicious instead.
"I'll lead the charge. We don't have much time." Without hesitation, Huo Jun clenched a short blade in his teeth, picked up a Great Shield, strapped a Great Sword on his back, and led his trusted aides in an assault.
Such actions, where a general personally led the charge alongside his troops, would typically occur later in a siege, after the attackers' initial momentum had faltered. Yet, with time pressing, Huo Jun commenced the assault immediately after the initial probes. His daring act galvanized the Yuzhou soldiers' morale.
Leaping onto a Cloud Ladder, Huo Jun dashed upward with several agile jumps, using his Great Round Shield to block the burning kerosene poured down from above. With a few more leaps, he reached the top, casting aside his blazing shield. Drawing the Great Sword from his back, he slashed through several Long Spears thrust toward him and vaulted onto the city walls.
"Thwack, thwack, thwack!" Several arrows were loosed in quick succession. Huo Jun rolled on the ground, grabbing a nearby soldier as a human shield. Swinging his Great Sword around, he killed several defenders and secured a foothold on the wall.
Soon, a flood of Yuzhou soldiers surged toward the breach, but the disciplined veteran defenders formed tight ranks, surrounding Huo Jun with their Long Spears. Behind them, a dozen archers had already taken aim.
Facing relentless spear thrusts, Huo Jun had no choice but to leap off the wall. Shielded by his trusted aides, he retreated back to safety.
"The defenses aren't particularly stringent. Launch a full assault and leave one side open to feign escape. Generals, lead your trusted aides in an all-out attack," Li Tong commanded. Despite his initial excitement at Huo Jun's breach of the walls and subsequent disappointment at his fallback, Li Tong quickly adjusted his strategy to suit the situation.
Under Li Tong's orders, every soldier, with the promise of rich rewards, followed their unit generals in attacking from three directions—east, west, and south. None dared retreat, as disobedience meant execution. With such dire constraints, the three-pronged assault was ruthless, causing relentless chaos. The commanders, fearless in the face of death, pressed the attack until Xiapi City began to teeter under the pressure.
However, Liu Bei's deep bond with the people soon became evident. Civilians appeared along the city defenses, delivering food to the soldiers. Even some trained youths climbed the walls to assist in the defense. With such unwavering support, the city walls, despite their precarious state, held firm and refused to fall.
"Damn it, just a bit more!" As nightfall approached, Li Tong grew increasingly anxious.
The ground outside the city was littered with the corpses of both Yuzhou and Liu Bei's soldiers. As the battle raged on, the casualty ratio began narrowing. Having nearly breached the city's fortifications, the losses on each side dropped to a ratio of three-to-one. Li Tong's years of combat experience told him the siege was just one final push away from succeeding. (To be continued. If you enjoyed this work, please visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for it with your recommendations and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)
