Chapter 22: The Cruelty of Real War

"Where are the soldiers of the Beiping Army?"

Zhang Yu drew his sword and let out a resounding roar.

"Kill! Kill! Kill!"

The tens of thousands of Beiping soldiers shouted in unison.

"Before us lies Miyun City, held by treacherous sycophants who intend to fortify themselves and block our righteous army. Today, by breaking through this city, we shall take a crucial step toward reclaiming the Beiping Prefecture. In the name of the Prince of Yan: he who is the first to breach this city shall be promoted three ranks if he is below the position of Vice Battalion Commander; two ranks if he is below Battalion Commander; and one rank if he is below Garrison Commander. Soldiers of the Beiping Army, form the assault echelons and attack!"

With a wave of his sword, Zhang Yu pointed directly at the city, shouting his command.

A moment later, two garrison commanders roared in unison: "Attack!"

The First Battalion led the charge, serving as the vanguard to cover the approach of the siege teams.

"Brothers, the time to win glory and establish our legacy is now. Kill!" Tan Yuan drew his saber, brandished his shield, and let out a fierce shout.

Behind him, the thousand soldiers of the First Battalion were poised and ready. Every man held a shield in his left hand and a saber in his right. Zhu Zheng was among them, positioned in the first wave. This was his first true experience on a battlefield.

"Brothers, spread out as much as possible during the assault!" Zhu Zheng commanded loudly.

"Yes!" the platoon leaders responded immediately. The four among them who had seen combat before remained relatively calm, having already stared death in the face. However, Zhu Gaoxu appeared incredibly nervous, his face drained of color.

"Zhu Xu, stay close to me once we engage," Zhu Zheng said. Seeing the state Zhu Gaoxu was in, and knowing that this initial wave was likely to be extremely dangerous, he decided to look out for him—after all, he was the son of Zhu Di.

"Right," Zhu Gaoxu nodded repeatedly, his nerves slightly steadied by Zhu Zheng’s composure.

Following Tan Yuan’s command, Zhu Zheng shouted, "Brothers! As your commander, I shall lead the charge. Follow me, and kill!"

Gripping his shield in his left hand and his tempered steel saber in his right, Zhu Zheng strode toward the city walls.

"Follow the Vice Battalion Commander! Kill!" Five hundred soldiers, led by their respective platoon commanders, charged after him. Close behind, Dian Wu led his five hundred men in the same direction. As the shield-bearers of the First Battalion moved out, the vanguard forces followed, pushing siege ladders and battering rams.

"Kill!" War cries filled the air. Two thousand troops surged toward Miyun City in formation. Zhang Yu watched calmly, holding back the rest of the army. The gate remained unbroken, and the battle to scale the walls had not yet begun; to send in more troops now would only make them targets for the enemy archers, increasing casualties for no gain.

On the ramparts, the imperial generals saw the Ming army advancing and barked orders: "Archers, prepare! Oil, prepare!"

Once the Yan army entered range, the generals shouted, "Loose arrows! Kill the rebels!"

Whoosh! Whoosh! Thousands of arrows rained down upon the Yan army.

Zhu Zheng charged at the very front, arrows falling like rain above him. Though it was his first battle, he felt no fear; he held his shield high to cover his body while continuing his advance. Every soldier followed suit. Behind him, however, Zhu Gaoxu was beginning to panic, struggling in the face of the volleys and exposing gaps behind his shield.

Just as a flight of arrows was about to strike Zhu Gaoxu, Zhu Zheng lunged forward and swung his saber, knocking the arrows aside.

"Don't panic! Keep your shield up; the arrows are coming from above. Stay close to me!" Zhu Zheng commanded.

"Yes," Zhu Gaoxu replied, his face deathly pale, yet he dared not move and stayed firmly behind Zhu Zheng.

"Siege ladders and battering ram, move up!" Tan Yuan roared from behind the troops. The shield-bearers of the First Battalion had successfully drawn the fire of the enemy archers. Many soldiers fell, some struggling in agony, others dying instantly. Under this cover, the siege teams rushed forward. Hundreds of soldiers carried ladders toward the walls, while a dozen more pushed the battering ram toward the gate.

The Beiping Army proved its reputation as an elite force with their disciplined formation. Yet, the enemy’s defensive advantage was clear; the relentless rain of arrows inflicted heavy losses. Zhu Zheng’s battalion was tasked with providing cover for the vanguard to breach the gate, but it was not an easy task. As the soldiers with ladders reached the walls, they clamped their sabers in their teeth and began to climb.

Yan archers returned fire, but the enemy’s rain of arrows was relentless. On the ladders, Yan soldiers were being picked off in droves. Zhu Zheng, meanwhile, used his shield and sword to deflect incoming shafts. He saw many of his men fall, their blood staining the ground; the area before the city was a gruesome scene of carnage.

"Break the gate!" a platoon leader shouted. A dozen soldiers rammed the battering ram against the gate. *Boom!* The gate shuddered slightly.

"Again!" the leader shouted.

On the ramparts, the enemy general saw the attempt and barked, "Pour the oil!"

From above the gate, a massive cauldron of boiling oil and fire poured down. *Whoosh!* Snakes of flame engulfed the area.

"Ah... ah..." The battering ram was instantly turned into a sea of fire, and the soldiers pushing it screamed in agony.

"Damn it," Zhu Zheng thought, his heart churning. "This is suicide. If we want to break the city, we have to pile up the bodies."

"Don't stop! Push! Break the gate!" the platoon leader screamed. Another dozen soldiers stepped up, pushing the burning battering ram forward to strike again. But with the constant rain of arrows, death was almost certain for anyone who approached. Bodies piled up around the ram, and the fire burned continuously.

Seeing that they would never break the gate this way, Zhu Zheng made a desperate decision. He reached into his storage space, retrieved a Blood-Rage Pill, and swallowed it. Instantly, he felt his strength and stamina surge, doubling in power. His physical force now exceeded a thousand pounds.

Fixing his eyes on the blood-soaked ram, Zhu Zheng took a deep breath and stepped forward...