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With a long laugh he stop Du Fuwei from continuing.

The construction battalion pushing the cloud ladder and the armored troops were starting to move, followed by the ramming vehicle to break the city wall and city gate.

Xu Ziling and Kou Zhong exchanged glances; they both thought that it would be strange indeed if a man as astute as Du Fuwei would not suspect Fang Zetao’s death.

Feng Han spoke in a low voice, “The moat is filled up, the enemy can directly batter the city wall. If we can make it through the night, it could be considered not bad.”

Kou Zhong asked, “How long will it take to evacuate everybody to the Ranch? I only need the most elite troops of the Village to stay with me.”

Feng Han replied, “Du Fuwei’s target is to take Jingling, so that he will have strongholds to launch both water and land attack toward the cities along Han River’s coastal area, as a shortcut to march toward Luoyang later. Now that he has leveled up the moat on this side, the other units will come here soon to ensure day and night siege; therefore, the common people can leave the city via the other gates safe and sound. If we have three days, then all personnel that have nothing to do with city defense can be removed far to a safe area.”

“In that case,” Kou Zhong decided, “We must hold on for three days, let’s see how formidable the Jianghuai Army really is.”

Feng Han’s face revealed a pained look, “I’m afraid the morale of the troops is quite low,” he said, “Qian Yun has always been at odds with Dashu [first uncle], he will definitely use this opportunity to seize power over the military. Worse yet, the news of Zhuangzhu’s death may leak any time. If that happens, no one will have the heart to continue fighting zealously, and then holding on for even one sichen will be a problem.”

Kou Zhong spoke resolutely, “People look toward the high place, water flows toward low elevation. Right now the only hope the Jingling’s citizens have is to flee toward the Flying Horse Ranch, and we are the only one who can guarantee that that will happen, not a lowly scum like Qian Yun. Let us give the Old Du a fierce fighting first to strengthen the confidence of the officers and soldiers before discussing about the pros and cons. I don’t believe everybody will be so dumb as being unwilling to fight bravely for their own, as well as their relatives’ lives. Hey! How can I issue an order?”

Feng Han called out loudly, “Where is Feng Qing?”

A young man scrambled forward and kneeled in front of the three people, “Feng Qing’s here!” he replied.

Feng Han said, “This is my younger brother Feng Qing. Any instruction Kou Shuai [Commander-in-Chief] have, you may tell him and have him do it.”

It was the first time that anybody has ever called him ‘Commander Kou’. While he was feeling highly complacent, a warrior rushed in panic up the city wall and reported, “Not good! Leading several hundred of his personal troops, General Qian Yun is heading this way.”

Xu Ziling laughed aloud and said, “I’ll leave the heavy responsibility to defend the city to Commander Kou, let me deal with Qian Yun.” Finished speaking, he pulled Feng Han along and left.

Kou Zhong’s gaze returned to outside the city. The armored shooting arrow vehicle gradually entered the city defense’ catapult range.

“Kou Shuai,” Feng Qing reminded him, “We can release the rocks and arrows soon!”

Coldly and calmly Kou Zhong replied, “Let them get a bit closer, then the rocks and arrows will have more power.”

Feng Qing hastily sounded the bugle horn, signaling the city defense warriors not to act rashly.

“Come with me!” Kou Zhong shouted loudly, and strode along the city wall. Feng Qing and a group of his personal guards scrambled to follow him.

Along the way, Kou Zhong comforted the troops defending the city and boosted their morale.

Everybody knew his matchless divine bravery; although they were not clear why he suddenly replaced Fang Zetao, but looking at his flashing eyes, his magnificent trim build, his dragon stride and tiger step as he walked, his voice that exuded strong fighting spirit and confidence, his imposing style of considering himself unexcelled in the world, everywhere he went he aroused burst of salutes and shouts of cheers; the morale was greatly boosted.

After walking along nearly half a li of the city wall, Kou Zhong turned around and walked back while shouting, “You listen: Jingling Army will prevail, Jianghuai Army will fail.”

Following his lead, all the officers and soldiers shouted together, their voices filled the night, so that the enemy’s shouts and battle cry were completely drowned.

Filled with admiration, Feng Qing said, “Zhuangzhu has never encouraged us the way Kou Shuai do. Oh! We can release the rocks and arrows now.”

Kou Zhong calmly turned his eyes toward the Jianghuai Army. Sure enough, their vanguard battalion has already entered the hundred-zhang range. Smiling, he said, “We can wait just a bit longer.”

Feng Qing wanted to persuade further, Kou Zhong suddenly stopped next to a catapult. He stood still in full concentration.

The enemy continued to advance.

※ ※ ※

Qian Yun, leading three hundred troops, his supporters, furiously rushed along the main street toward the main gate.

Presently Jinling’s main force was concentrated here. As long as he could kill Feng Ge, the control over the military would fall into his hands. At that time, dealing with Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling would not be too late.

While he was having that thought and was feeling over the moon, a pressing force suddenly came overhead. His warhorse was the first to buckle, throwing Qian Yun forward.

By the time Qian Yun landed on the ground and looked up, he saw Xu Ziling pouncing on him from the top of a two-story building nearby. When he was about to pull his sword, he felt sharp pain on the pit of his stomach. With a miserable shriek he died on the spot.

Xu Ziling landed among the soldiers, and immediately soared back into the air. From all around hundreds of archers appeared, surrounding Qian Yun’s soldiers.

With the seal of authority held high above his head, Feng Han appeared in the middle of the street and shouted, “Abandon your weapons, those who rebel will die.”

Xu Ziling stood by his side, looking as formidable as an immortal.

Witnessing how Qian Yun died without even any chance to fight back, the soldiers knew that the momentum was lost. One after another they surrendered and realigned their allegiance.

And thus a civil war was averted.

※ ※ ※

Kou Zhong inspected a large block of rock that appeared to be around a hundred catty; he shouted, “Du Fuwei, let’s see what will happen to your armored vehicle.”

With a loud shout he kicked hard, hurling the rock flying toward the armored vehicle, which was about seventy zhang away from the city wall.

First the large rock rose about a zhang high, and then it spun swiftly as it flew toward the wooden structure of the armored vehicle.

People inside and outside the city were staring with their eyes wide open. Nobody believed that a piece of rock like this would be able to destroy an armored vehicle.

Yet Kou Zhong displayed his astonishing divine power and judgment.

‘Boom!’

The large rock hit the wooden structure squarely, smashing it into smithereens.

Beyond all expectation, the armored vehicle did not move back, instead, it leaned sideways and toppled. ‘Bang!’ it fell on its side, injuring a dozen or more people in the process.

Everybody could only stare blankly.

The officers and soldiers defending the city burst into an earth shattering cheers.

Knowing the time was right, Kou Zhong roared, “Release the rocks and arrows!”

Amidst the battle cry, along the city wall extended over a li, about a hundred catapults shot out large rocks, along with countless arrows raining down toward the nearly ten thousand enemies attacking the city. Immediately the vehicles rolled over and people collapsed in an extremely tragic scene.

The battle has unfolded a new leaf.

Kou Zhong spoke to Feng Qing in a low voice, “That will do! Now even if they knew that your Zhuangzhu is dead, there shouldn’t be any problem.”

Feng Qing’s eyes were brimming with unbounded respect.

※ ※ ※

By the time Xu Ziling returned to the city wall, Jingling Army has crushed the enemy’s first wave of attack, leaving hundreds of dead bodies, more than a dozen armored vehicles, siege towers, and countless broken bows and arrows, as well as other weapons.

The city wall was full of military personnel and able-bodied civilians going back and forth to replenish the supply of arrows, rocks, boiling oils, and so on, which were being continuously used up in the city fortification.

The high-ranking military officers executed every order that Kou Zhong issued without the slightest hesitation.

Jianghuai Army’s battle drums resounded. The destroyed unit withdrew, while another unit, about five thousand strong, started to advance toward the city gate to be engaged in what appeared to be more than what they could attend to.

Xu Ziling came to Kou Zhong’s side. Looking at the enemy outside the city, he said, “Qian Yun has been taken care of!”

Kou Zhong acted as if he did not hear it; pointing at the hundred or so trebuchets moving toward the city wall, he said, “Those stupid things are so formidable; just now they managed to knock several sections of our wall, and crush several hundred of our men to their death. If this situation continues, I am afraid we won’t last until tomorrow. Do you have any ideas?”

Xu Ziling thought for a moment before replying, “I’d better take men to rush out and kill the enemy for a moment. What do you think?”

Frowning, Kou Zhong said, “What good will that do? If the enemy cut your escape route, I am afraid you will be the only one who could come back alive. Besides, those stupid things cannot be easily destroyed.”

Xu Ziling said, “As long as we have a good grasp of the timing; one group is responsible for killing and breaking up the enemy’s rank, the other group is in charge of pouring kerosene to those siege towers, armored vehicles, trebuchets and what have you, and then the men on the city wall will be in charge of shooting fiery-arrows. I guarantee that the Ol’ Die can only stare in envy.”

Kou Zhong slapped the wall and cried out, “Wonderful!” Immediately he had a general selected five thousand elite troops and put them under Xu Ziling’s command, while he himself went to the city gate to make preparation.

‘Boom!’

Fragments of stone splashed, a piece of big rock landed on the city wall by Kou Zhong’s side.

“Release the arrows!” Kou Zhong thundered.

Several thousand arrows were shot out of the battlements on the city wall toward the enemy flocking toward the gate.

Two siege towers rushed in. Before the vehicle arrived, more than a dozen men already leaped out and soared toward the city wall.

Kou Zhong knew the opponent’s martial art masters have arrived; luckily he did not see the Ol’ Die Du Fuwei among them. With a loud shout he also leaped up, the Moon in the Well turned into a streak of sharp light, rolling toward the incoming enemies.

Chapter 4 - Part 2

Two men responded by flying away to evade the blade. Kou Zhong’s Moon in the Well hacked down left and right, two other enemies, who had just had their feet landed on the wall, immediately had their blood splashed and they were thrown down the city wall.

But there were still seven enemies who succeeded in landing on the city wall, who attacked left and right on the ordinary soldiers defending the city that they suffered a crushing defeat.

Like a swimming fish Kou Zhong flashed toward an enemy, who was fighting hand to hand with Feng Qing. Lightning fast his Moon in the Well swept across the enemy’s waist, a short and stout man who was striking down on Feng Qing with his pair of axes.

A vortex of energy rose up.

‘Dang!’

The Moon in the Well entered the space between the two axes, and suddenly retracted.

The short man’s double-axe fell down. By the time a trace of blood appeared on his forehead, Kou Zhong’s Moon in the Well has already slashed another enemy.

‘Ding!’

The man’s broadsword was cut off by the Moon in the Well as if it was just a dried twig. In his horror he stepped back, only to be kicked by Kou Zhong and was thrown outside the city.

Kou Zhong immediately pounced onto the other three enemies. Meanwhile the short man’s dead body has just fallen to the ground. It is thus clear that his movement was very fast.

The spirit of the officers and soldiers defending the city was greatly aroused; swords and spears moved out immediately, pushing the remaining five enemies into a corner.

Kou Zhong’s murderous intention arose, every saber strike of his seemed to be the death penalty of the enemy; as soon as he saw an enemy, he would immediately kill. In the mid of splashing blood, the remaining two men saw how greatly disadvantageous their situation was, they simply jumped off the wall, and ran away for their lives.

Kou Zhong leaped to the top of the wall; lifting the saber high above his head, he cried out wildly, “Jingling Army will prevail! Jianghuai Army will fail!”

All the soldiers responded in unison; momentarily the heaven and the earth shook.

“Open the gate!” Kou Zhong thundered.

※ ※ ※

The suspension bridge was lowered. Leading three thousand soldiers, Xu Ziling rode out, killing the enemy left and right as he rushed out of the city.

The besieging enemy troops have never expected Jingling would dare to open their gate; immediately they were thrown into confusion and scrambled away in all directions.

The other two thousand soldiers came out carrying earthen jars filled with kerosene, which they poured over the enemy’s besieging carts. And then they immediately set the vehicles on fire, and thus increasing their momentum.

Kou Zhong saw flames rose up everywhere under the city wall, but his heart was as cold as ice and frost; his face did not betray his emotion as he looked at the enemy situation.

The battle drums were beaten again.

The two cavalries, which were Jianghuai Army’s wings, came out from left and right to attack and provide reinforcement. Momentarily the sound of hoof beats shook the sky.

Kou Zhong stood on top of the city wall; he looked like a deity as he raised his saber and called out, “Withdraw the troops!”

Feng Qing hurriedly beat the gongs and blew the bugle horn.

Xu Ziling dashed out through the scattering enemy of nearly a thousand men wielding shields marching behind the carts, while escorting his own troops retreating back into the city.

From the top of the wall tens of thousands arrows were shot toward the enemy’s cavalry that row after row fell down to the ground and thus it was difficult for them to advance even for a cun.

‘Bang!’

The drawbridge closed.

Without waiting for Kou Zhong’s order, the soldiers and civilians on the city wall broke into loud shout, “Jingling Army will prevail! Jianghuai Army will fail!”

Cries of joy thundered on.

Kou Zhong saw that at least half the enemy’s besieging towers, armored vehicles and trebuchets were trapped in the sea of fire. Breathing a sigh of relief, he issued an order, “We will take turn to rest; no matter what we will hold on for three days.”

By this time Feng Qing and the others have already been convinced and were ready to submit to him; they chorused their compliance.

※ ※ ※

‘Boom!’

Like a furious dragon the wooden ram struck against the city gate, emitting an ear-splitting rumble.

The enemy suddenly launched another wave of offensive.

In a corner of the city wall, the very tired and sleep-deprived Xu Ziling woke up. He saw that the city wall, which was intact when he went to sleep, started to show a crack, while outside the city blazing torches were covering the mountains and the plains. His ears were inundated with the sound of battle cry, the sound of catapults sending out rocks, the sharp squeaky noise of the wheels, and the explosive noise of the rocks crashing against the wall or falling on the ground.

‘Crash!’

Without even looking Xu Ziling knew that that was the sound of hot oil being dumped down the city wall.

Rising to his full height, Xu Ziling waved his left hand to catch an arrow, which came from God knows where, as he walked along the wall toward the city’s main gate.

Soldiers and civilians alike were busy running up and down the city wall to resist the enemy. Everybody’s eyes were bloodshot. There seemed to be just one simple goal in everybody’s mind, i.e. to do whatever they can to block and kill the invading enemies.

Dead bodies were everywhere along the city wall, dark red blood was turning into burnt, blackened bloodstain, but nobody had time to pay attention. Heavy clouds were hanging low in the sky, the moon and the stars lost their luster. Blazing torches flickering in the night sky, dying everything blood red. As far as the eyes could see, it was like hell on earth.

If he was not mistaken, today was the eighth day since the Jianghuai Army launched their large-scale attack to besiege the city. The enemy continuously increased their forces, as well as feigning attack to the other gates, and thus dispersing their strength.

Without stopping to sleep or take a rest, he and Kou Zhong have been conducting this bitter battle to defend the city, until he really could not take it anymore. He was just thinking of lying down for half a moment, but fell asleep at once.

Battle drums suddenly sounded; he was a bit disoriented as to where it came from.

‘Boom!’

This time it was the sound of ram slamming against the city wall; he felt the ground under his feet seemed to be shaking a little.

‘Bang!’

A siege tower just in front of the wall was smashed so that it toppled and fell down, that even the Jianghuai soldiers on it were falling to the ground outside the city, and crushing nobody knew how many more troops on the ground.

Finally he saw Kou Zhong.

This good brother of his was standing proud and erect on top of the wall, overlooking the situation outside the city, far and near, while incessantly summoning soldiers to transmit all kinds of orders. The way he conducted the operation was precisely the bearing of a Commander-in-Chief.

Kou Zhong’s entire body was stained with blood; perhaps even Kou Zhong himself did not know whether the blood was his own, or it came from the enemy.

Arrows filled the air like rain.

Xu Ziling came over to Kou Zhong’s side. Kou Zhong looked at him. His eyes were bloodshot. Pulling Xu Ziling aside, he said, “This time it is really bad. I am afraid we can’t last the night.”

Pointing to a distant place, he said, “Over there the wall is struck that it cracked, we used sand and stones to block, sacrificing a lot of brothers’ lives in the process. I’ll say the Ol’ Die is going to personally make his move soon.”

Frowning, Xu Ziling said, “Aren’t the women and children out of the city? Why haven’t we withdrawn?”

Kou Zhong replied with a bitter laugh, “There are still a lot of people inside the city. Do you think as soon as we wanted to leave we can just leave? Don’t you see that right now everybody is dashing on bravely with no thought of personal safety? As soon as the order to retreat is issued, I guarantee that they will fall over each other in their eagerness to flee, and everything will be a mess. Moreover, we have already tied unsolvable blood feuds with Jianghuai Army. If they decide to pursue the retreating enemy, our share will only be complete wipeout. Right now we can only compete in strength, to see which side will not be able to endure anymore. Ay! It looks to me that most probably it would be us who cannot hold on!”

Xu Ziling swept his gaze around. Under the around-the-clock fierce offensive from the enemy, the soldiers and civilians of the city of Jingling have turned into injured and weary troops. Once the gap on the wall was breached and the enemy entered the city, due to the deep enmity between the two sides, the enemy would definitely kill everybody in sight. Under this kind of circumstances, based on his and Kou Zhong’s character, how could they disregard and abandon these people and run away for their lives? In the end, they would fight on bravely and be buried with the city. This was what Kou Zhong was saying.

Leaning over, Kou Zhong whispered in Xu Ziling’s ear, “Is this fate? The first time being a commander-in-chief, and end up being extremely unlucky. Ha ... oh ...” and then he coughed incessantly.

Helping him rubbing his back, Xu Ziling asked, “Did you suffer internal injury?”

Gnashing his teeth, Kou Zhong replied, “Just now a few martial art masters came, I was unexpectedly punched by one of them, but I managed to cut off his stinky head.”

This moment a soldier came and reported frantically: Du Fuwei’s main force has started to move.

The two boys groaned inwardly. Bracing themselves, they climbed the watchtower. Feng Han, Feng Qing, and the others were there. Everybody’s countenance was heavy, as if they have seen that the end was near.

The troops besieging the city retreated to give way to the new force launching a new wave of powerful offensive.

Outside the city wall dead bodies were everywhere, as a reminder of this eight-day and eight-night desperate battle in sieging the city.

The vast open space in the city was full of dots of fire as far as the eyes could see. The battle drums and bugle horns, the hoof beats and the squeaky wheels filled the heaven and the earth.

Realizing that everybody’s eyes were fixed on him, inwardly Kou Zhong was smiling bitterly. Today he had learned that being a Commander-in-Chief was definitely not easy.

Xu Ziling accompanied him to an empty corner of the external wall. Feng Han said in a heavy voice, “Du Fuwei has concentrated all of his forces here, by rough estimation his force numbers eighty-thousand men. Presently our own forces added up together only numbers in the vicinity of ten thousand men. The enemy is attacking us with eight times our strength. Looking at immediate situation, it will be very difficult for us to survive the night.”

A gust of wind suddenly blew over the watchtower that everybody’s clothes were fluttering.

Kou Zhong looked up to heaven and saw the scurrying black clouds; he spoke slowly, “If the Lord of Heaven shows mercy and pour down on us heavy rain, I wonder which side will reap the advantage.”

Everybody was greatly shaken; they all copied him looking up into the night sky.

“We would be saved!” Feng Han said.

Before he even finished speaking, a streak of lightning flashed across the sky, blinding everybody’s eyes. And the rumble of thunder that followed immediately drowned all noises on the battlefield.

Bean-sized drops of rain started to hit their heads. Sparse at first, but quickly became thick, and soon became pouring rain. Millions of torches were extinguished one by one.

Throwing his head back, Kou Zhong let out a long laugh and said, “Thank you Laotianye, because you, Senior, have not destroyed me, Kou Zhong. As long as I can avoid Du Fuwei personally hunting me down, there will come a day Jingling will return to my, Kou Zhong’s hands!”

And then he thundered, “This battle has been lost. Immediately withdraw in batches. Xu Ye and I will guard the rear; we will fight to the death to ensure that all of you will leave safely.”

Seeing the two boys’ righteousness reached the clouds and the sky, none of the generals was not moved.

Xu Ziling shouted coldly, “Still have not left promptly? Anybody has confidence of taking Du Fuwei’s Xiu Li Qiankun [universe in his sleeve]?”

All the generals dropped down on their knees; they kowtowed three times first before they accepted the order and left.

Under the thunderstorm, Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling’s clothes were soaked wet, but they still looked at each other and let a long laugh. There was an indescribable passion and heroic air around them.