Zhang Fei nodded in satisfaction, then loudly addressed the personal guards behind him!
"Beat the drums and blow the horns to boost morale!"
The personal guards, having received the order, bowed in acknowledgement and immediately went to make arrangements.
Soon, the sound of horns and drums boomed from the city walls, echoing the drums of the Xianbei soldiers outside the city, creating a fierce friction.
The Xianbei soldiers charged fiercely, quickly reaching within a hundred paces of the city wall.
Zhang Fei waved his hand and loudly commanded!
"Fire!"
The archers on the city wall had already drawn their bows to full length; upon receiving the order, they released their grip.
Arrows tore through the sky, erupting with a whooshing sound.
Like a rain of flowers, they rained down furiously upon the city below.
The Xianbei soldiers pushing siege engines were struck by the rapidly incoming arrows, their bodies pierced, blood flowing freely.
Xianbei soldiers continuously fell, their screams echoing repeatedly at this moment!
But their charging steps did not stop; instead, they continued to rush forward.
Enduring the fierce archery from the city wall and suffering heavy casualties, they finally reached the base of the city wall, propping up ladders and siege towers to begin climbing.
Hundreds of others pushed battering rams, violently crashing them against the city gate, producing thudding sounds.
The Han Army on the city wall bravely resisted, one after another lifting rolling stones and logs, directly smashing them down upon the climbing Xianbei soldiers.
If one was even slightly careless, he would be knocked to the ground and fall from the ladder.
With a scream of agony, his body made a crunching sound as he hit the ground, spitting blood.
His body trembled slightly, his eyes closed, and he completely died.
Such a scene was continuously unfolding across the entire Gaoliu city wall.
Some Xianbei soldiers drew their bows and fired arrows towards the city wall; any Han Army soldier who was slightly careless would be struck by an arrow, lose his balance, and fall directly from the city wall.
Blood spurted out, his body convulsed continuously, and agonizing cries of pain occasionally echoed.
The Xianbei soldiers below the city, seeing this situation, showed no mercy, brandishing the blades in their hands and directly slaying them on the spot.
Both sides displayed fierce determination, erupting into a fierce battle of offense and defense.
The sun set in the west!
The sun in the sky was slowly sinking behind the mountains, casting a faint yellow hue.
Ke Bineng, observing the battle from the rear, frowned at the scene before him.
He hadn't expected the morale of the city defenders to be so strong, not showing any fear of their Xianbei arrival.
Moreover, the commanding General on the city wall was exceptionally skilled in martial arts, even terrifying.
He possessed the strength of 'one man guarding the pass, ten thousand unable to open it,' slaying dozens of Xianbei soldiers who managed to climb up on the spot.
This terrified the surrounding Xianbei soldiers, making them tremble, and no one dared to rush onto the city wall.
Ke Bineng looked up at the sky; the sun was beginning to slowly set over the mountain peak, and today's siege battle would likely end here.
However, a fierce glint remained in his eyes; although today's siege had not gained any significant advantage.
He still believed that in the long run, the city would definitely not be able to hold out and would inevitably be breached.
After all, the difference in troop strength between the two sides was too great; there were only two thousand men defending the city, and even if they fought to the death, these men would be exhausted.
As long as Gaoliu City was breached, he would definitely gain sufficient benefits, and the current casualties would be negligible.
He immediately gave a cold command to the personal guards beside him!
"Sound the gongs for retreat, gather all units, return to the camp, and fight again tomorrow."
Upon receiving the order, the personal guards immediately began to blow their horns and beat their drums, the booming sounds reverberating across the entire area outside the city.
The Xianbei soldiers who were still assaulting the city, hearing the sound of the horns, showed excitement on their faces and retreated backward one after another.
They dared not linger below the city, fearing being shot dead by the Han Army on the city wall.
Soon, the large army retreated like a tide, and under the consolidation of their tribal leaders, they gradually returned to their camps.
Zhang Fei, standing on the city wall, watched as the Xianbei army retreated, slowly let out a sigh of relief, and a smile appeared on his face.
Although he was somewhat tired, he had found this battle today very satisfying.
Even when facing the numerous Xianbei soldiers, the city's defenders had not fallen into a disadvantage; instead, they had fought back and forth with the enemy, even gaining the upper hand for the most part.
Zhang Fei reached out and wiped the blood from his face, then looked at a corpse on the city wall, sighed, and immediately ordered!
"Drag these bodies down, clear the city wall, clean the battlefield, and prepare for tomorrow's great battle."
At this point, Zhang Fei's voice paused, then continued!
"Generals, there is no need to worry; even if you die in battle, the Prefect will issue sufficient pensions to your families."
"In the future, a large portion of taxes will also be reduced, and you will receive some fertile land as assistance, ensuring your wives, sons, and daughters grow up without worries about food and clothing."
The Generals on the city wall heard these words and nodded one after another, filled with gratitude.
With this assurance, they could finally put their hearts at ease on the city wall and bravely kill the enemy.
At the very least, after dying in battle, their families would still be able to survive.
They wouldn't be left uncared for after their deaths, without money or food subsidies, leading to the downfall of a family.
In fact, many of the veteran soldiers on the city wall were soldiers who had followed Liu Jin in discussions regarding the Yellow Turbans, so they fully believed what Zhang Fei said, without any doubt.
After all, some people around them had died in battle, and a little inquiry would reveal that pensions were generally distributed after the conclusion of hostilities.
Three days later.
Dingxiang Commandery, Wujin County territory.
The sky gradually darkened, and beside a gully in a forest, many simple tents were set up, with the Liu family's military banner fluttering in the wind.
Five thousand troops were stationed here, cooking meals, replenishing water, preparing to rest here for the night, and march again early tomorrow morning.
Liu Jin sat on a stone, holding a flatbread in his hand, eating it in large bites, finding it a bit hard, but the taste was still good.
He then picked up his water skin and drank heartily; after finishing the flatbread in a few gulps, he clapped his hands.
His gaze swept around; many bonfires had already been lit, and some soldiers gathered around them, warming their hands to dispel some of the chill.
After all, it was around April, and being in the northern region, it was still quite cold at night, so they occasionally needed to light fires for warmth.
Just then, several footsteps sounded beside him; Tian Feng and Min Chun were seen slowly approaching, holding pencils in their hands!
Upon nearing, they prepared to bow in greeting!
Liu Jin quickly waved his hand and said calmly!
"You've been traveling for several days and are clearly exhausted, so let's skip these mundane formalities."
The two men heard this but did not heed him; instead, they respectfully bowed and still addressed him as Marquis!