In Jincheng Commandery, the forces led by Western Qiang King Che Li Ji advanced like an unstoppable torrent, making extremely smooth progress.
They were high-spirited, sweeping through everything in their path, and successfully capturing two or three cities within Jincheng Commandery.
The fall of these cities was like a heavy iron fist, striking the enemy hard and causing them immense pain and damage.
As the Western Qiang forces continued to push forward, the enemy's previously solid defenses gradually cracked and were quickly breached.
Jincheng Commandery, controlled by Han Sui, was now in deep distress.
To change this difficult situation, the Generals in various parts of Jincheng Commandery were burning with anxiety and had to frequently send urgent requests for help to Han Sui, eagerly hoping to obtain more troops and more ample resources to resist the Western Qiang's fierce offensive.
On Dong Zhuo's side, Guo Si and Li Jue had already led the Flying Bear Army like unbridled wild horses, maneuvering and attacking, rampaging through the territories of several rebel leaders in Zhangye Commandery and Jiuquan Commandery.
Their actions were swift and violent, sweeping through like a storm, plunging the various rebel factions into a desperate situation and forcing them to repeatedly send urgent distress signals.
The discipline of Dong Zhuo's Xiliang Army was shockingly lax, almost to the point of being a complete mess.
Wherever they went, they committed all sorts of atrocities, including burning, killing, and looting, like a group of demons rampaging through the human world, causing the rebel factions to suffer immensely.
These rebels not only had to endure the fierce attacks of the enemy but also had to deal with the brutal actions of the Xiliang Army, truly caught between a rock and a hard place.
The stratagem of alienation employed by Li Ru of Dong Zhuo's forces was even more insidious and effective.
Suspicion caused rifts among the various rebel factions, and trust between them was completely lost.
At the same time, their provisions were heavily plundered by Hua Xiong's army.
For a time, a dark cloud hung over Han Sui's Western Liang rebel alliance, plunging them into multiple difficulties, as if they were in a dark abyss, unable to extricate themselves.
The entire situation became increasingly critical, and the various rebel factions struggled in this difficult predicament, with a bleak outlook.
Dong Zhuo, leading the main force, had already entered Wuwei Commandery, sweeping away small groups of rebels along the way as if they were decaying wood, without any hindrance.
Under immense pressure, Han Sui and many rebel leaders launched their fiercest and most brutal assault on Wuwei City.
The mournful sound of the siege horns echoed through the sky, as if announcing the arrival of a cruel war.
Behold the tragic and thrilling battle between Han Sui and Ma Teng!
Ma Teng's defense of the city was beyond imagination.
The brutal scenes of battle were unbearable to witness or hear.
The able-bodied young men in the city were almost exhausted, and even the women took up weapons to join this life-and-death struggle.
Ma Teng's sons, Ma Xiu and Ma Tie, and his nephew, Ma Dai, these young children, though their faces still showed childishness, their eyes revealed determination and resolve, and they too resolutely took up weapons to assist Ma Teng in bravely attacking the city.
In this offensive and defensive battle, Ma Teng faced unprecedented difficulties.
Outside the city, rebel forces surged like a turbulent tide, endlessly pouring in.
Their siege weapons were exceptionally sophisticated; huge stones launched by trebuchets crashed against the city walls like meteorites, emitting dull thuds; siege ladders were erected like a forest of trees, and rebel soldiers climbed up like ants.
Inside the city, the defending army was severely understaffed and critically short of supplies, and the sturdy city walls, under the fierce assault of the rebels, also swayed precariously, as if they could collapse at any moment.
Every battlement was enduring heavy blows from the enemy, bricks and stones shattered, and dust flew everywhere.
Ma Teng, with a solemn expression, personally ascended the city tower, waving his long sword, and shouting hoarsely to boost the morale of every defending soldier.
His battle robe flapped in the wind, and his hair was disheveled, but it only highlighted his bravery and fearlessness.
However, the rebels' offensive, like an overwhelming force, grew fiercer, and the defenders gradually found it difficult to resist, falling into an extremely difficult situation.
Several parts of the city wall were breached, and rebels, like hungry wolves, seized the opportunity to pour into the city, engaging in a thrilling street battle with the defending army.
Both sides fought fiercely in the narrow streets, shouts of battle and the clashing of weapons echoed through the sky.
Rebel soldiers surged like a tide, wielding swords and blades, frantically hacking and slashing; the defending soldiers, on the other hand, resisted desperately, using shields to block enemy attacks and swords to counter enemy invasions.
Blood stained the ground, and severed limbs were scattered everywhere.
Every swing of the sword was accompanied by the loss of life; every block was accompanied by the depletion of strength.
The intensity of the battle was suffocating, as if time itself had frozen.
The defending soldiers fought desperately in despair, protecting every inch of the city wall and every street with their lives.
Some were severely wounded but still gritted their teeth and persevered; others had collapsed from exhaustion, but their eyes still shone with an unyielding light.
After a long and brutal day of fierce fighting, the defending army finally repelled the rebel attack with their tenacious will.
Although Wuwei City was preserved, Ma Teng and his defenders paid an extremely heavy price.
They were covered in blood, exhausted, and many permanently fell on this battlefield, defending the city's dignity and glory with their lives.
As night gradually enveloped the land, the atmosphere in Han Sui's military tent was heavy and oppressive.
Han Sui and a group of leaders gathered there again.
Cheng Yin and Ma Wan showed expressions of resentment, gnashing their teeth and saying with heartfelt pain, “Han General, if we don't break through Wuwei City soon, our stronghold will be taken!
Now we are constantly receiving urgent dispatches every day, can we still do this?
If not, let's retreat!”
Other leaders also voiced their agreement, their faces no longer showing the confidence they once had.
Han Sui shouted hoarsely, “If we retreat now, we will be waiting for Dong Zhuo to lead his army and defeat us one by one!
If we don't take Wuwei City, we cannot unite, and if we disperse now to go back and rescue our territories, we will only be wiped out one by one!
Your territories are being invaded, and is my Jincheng Commandery not as well?
Jincheng Commandery has already had two or three cities taken by the Western Qiang!
Now, only by taking Wuwei and defeating Dong Zhuo can we resolve this deadlock!
Otherwise, we will only wait for our doom!”
Liang Xing said, “Han General, our forces have suffered heavy losses, and morale is low; Wuwei City is truly too difficult to breach!”
Zhang Heng then added, “Yes, Han General, we have done our best, if this continues, I'm afraid we will all perish here.”
Han Sui frowned deeply, his face grim, and said, “Gentlemen, have you forgotten why we formed an alliance?
For survival!
If we give up now, we are completely finished!
Dong Zhuo's army will not spare any of us when they arrive!”
Li Kan said worriedly, “But Han General, we truly no longer have the ability to continue fighting; if we keep fighting, our troops will all be gone.”
Han Sui gritted his teeth and said, “No!
We must persevere!
As long as we are united, there is still hope!
Dong Zhuo is not invincible!”
Hou Xuan shook his head and said, “Han General, you say it easily, but in this situation, what do we have to contend with Dong Zhuo?”
Han Sui took a deep breath and said, “Even if it's difficult, we must grit our teeth and persevere!
We cannot give up so easily!
Otherwise, we will all die without a burial place!”
At this moment, the tent fell into silence, and the leaders all looked hesitant, their hearts filled with entanglement and struggle.
Meanwhile, inside Wuwei City, Ma Teng's army suffered heavy losses.
Ma Teng stood on the city wall, looking at the tragic sight before him, worried and his brows tightly furrowed.
His daughter, Ma Yunlu, hurried over, bringing some food.
Ma Yunlu looked at her father and said with concern, “Father, please eat something.”
Ma Teng waved his hand, looking at Ma Yunlu, his eyes filled with worry: “Yunlu, our army has suffered such great losses, Lu Zhi truly cannot eat.”
Ma Yunlu said, “Father, the brothers in the city are still fighting desperately; we cannot give up.”
Ma Teng sighed and said, “I know, it's just that the situation is becoming increasingly difficult.”
At this moment, Ma Yunlu's brothers also came to Ma Teng's side, looking at him with concern.
Ma Dai said, “Uncle, we will definitely hold the city with you and never retreat.”
Ma Teng looked at them, feeling a little comforted, but still couldn't eat anything.
Ma Teng didn't know how much longer he could hold on, only hoping that reinforcements would arrive quickly to lift the siege of Wuwei.
His heart was filled with anxiety and worry, and he felt as if an invisible pressure enveloped him.