xymnovel Chapter 98 The Strategy of Exhausting the Army
Chapter 98 The Strategy of Exhausting the Army
On a dark night, the clouds in the sky were thick and low, as if foreshadowing an impending great battle.
A Cangzhou army, under the cover of night, quietly approached the city wall beneath Yaohua Pass.
This commando unit consisted of several hundred soldiers. They were well-equipped and agile, and could be considered an elite force temporarily assembled by the Cangzhou army.
Suddenly, a bugle call pierced the night sky, and the army launched a fierce attack in an instant.
They quickly erected makeshift ladders, used spears and swords to hack at the city walls, and fired arrows and crossbow bolts at the defending soldiers.
In an instant, the soldiers guarding the city wall were awakened and hurriedly picked up their weapons to fight back.
However, the Cangzhou army did not give the defending troops a chance to catch their breath.
They launched wave after wave of attacks, constantly harassing the soldiers defending the city walls.
Some soldiers pretended to retreat to lure the defenders into attacking; others laid traps and tripwires around the city walls, making it impossible for the defenders of Yaohua Pass to defend against them.
The defending general hurriedly organized his soldiers to launch a counterattack, attempting to drive away the Cangzhou army.
They fired a barrage of arrows and hurled fireballs and stones in an attempt to repel the enemy's attack.
However, in the pitch-black night, the Cangzhou army kept changing tactics, keeping the defending soldiers busy.
During these many nights of harassment, the Cangzhou army, under Li Jing's command, made full use of the effect of fatigue on the defending soldiers.
The soldiers defending the city had been fighting for several days in a row and were exhausted, unable to maintain a high level of combat readiness.
However, the soldiers of the Cangzhou army, due to their numerical advantage, took turns attacking the city in multiple waves.
Therefore, at this time they are full of energy and high morale, and can react quickly and respond flexibly to various situations.
As time went on, the Cangzhou army harassed the city more and more frequently, and the soldiers guarding Yaohua Pass began to show some confusion and panic.
They didn't know when the enemy would attack again, nor whether they could survive this endless harassment.
Exhaustion and fear took hold in the soldiers' hearts, weakening their morale and fighting spirit.
Even amidst this chaos, a few soldiers defending the city have begun to flee the walls, attempting to escape this endless harassment.
They disregarded the safety of their companions, thinking only of saving their own lives.
This panic spread rapidly among the soldiers, like a plague.
Under such circumstances, the general defending the city had no choice but to take measures to stabilize the morale of his troops.
He stood on the city wall and shouted loudly, urging the soldiers to remain calm and steadfast in their beliefs.
Inspired by him, some soldiers rallied and picked up their weapons to continue fighting.
However, the Cangzhou army's harassment of Yaohua Pass did not stop there.
The Cangzhou army seemed inexhaustible, constantly sending out new troops to attack the defending army on the city walls.
Their attacks became more and more frequent, overwhelming the soldiers defending the city.
The soldiers were exhausted to the limit, and some had begun to break down, unable to continue.
"It'll be soon...it'll be soon."
On a hillside some distance from the city wall, Li Jing stood quietly with his deputy, watching the deafening battle cries at Yaohua Pass, his eyes gleaming with a sharp light.
Meanwhile, inside Yaohua Pass...
Bathed in the morning light, the defending troops on the city walls appeared exhausted.
The general guarding Yaohua Pass climbed the city wall alone, gazing into the distance.
Not far away, the Cangzhou army was busy making deployments. He knew that after more than ten days of intense siege, this battle would be more difficult than ever before.
After a night of harassment, the Qizhou soldiers on the walls of Yaohua Pass were exhausted and haggard, their eyes revealing a deep sense of powerlessness.
Some soldiers leaned against the city wall, resting with their eyes closed, their bodies trembling slightly; others sat with their heads down, their hands clasped behind their heads, clearly enduring headaches and exhaustion.
The general guarding Yaohua Pass stood at a corner of the city wall, his gaze fixed resolutely on the distance.
His face was pale, and deep wrinkles were etched on his forehead, showing his exhaustion and anxiety.
He gripped the longsword tightly in his scarred hands, the tip of the sword trembling slightly, as if telling of his inner pain and helplessness.
"General, we must find a way to rest."
A lieutenant approached the general defending the city and whispered, "The soldiers are exhausted; they need rest and to replenish their strength."
The general guarding the city was silent for a moment, then nodded: "I know, but we don't have any more time."
"The enemy is watching our weaknesses, and they will launch a deadly attack once we let our guard down."
The lieutenant fell silent; he understood the general's concerns.
At this critical moment, any negligence could lead to irreversible consequences.
However, the continuous fighting and harassment had exhausted the soldiers both physically and mentally, and if this continued, the morale and combat effectiveness of the army would be severely weakened.
The general guarding the city took a deep breath and said firmly, "We cannot let our guard down, but we also cannot allow the soldiers to become overworked."
"You should arrange some rotating duty systems to allow some soldiers to rest and maintain combat effectiveness."
The lieutenant nodded: "Yes, I will make the arrangements immediately."
However, even with a short rest, the soldiers were still unable to shake off their fatigue.
Their bodies and minds have reached their limits, making it difficult for them to maintain a high level of combat effectiveness.
Due to fatigue and lack of focus, some soldiers neglected combat readiness while on duty.
They even failed to check and replenish arrows or catapults in a timely manner; they did not carefully maintain and repair weapons and equipment; some soldiers even fell asleep at their posts, completely ignoring the enemy's threat.
Moreover, due to prolonged fatigue from combat, the army's discipline began to slacken.
The soldiers no longer strictly followed orders and regulations, but instead fought on their own, and there were even cases of them leaving their posts without permission and shirking combat.
Some soldiers became irritable, anxious, and depressed. They frequently argued and clashed with each other, no longer as united and cooperative as before.
"call!"
"My lord, if we don't receive reinforcements soon, Yaohua Pass and I will not be able to hold out."
The general guarding Yaohua Pass looked heavily at the bizarre sights on the city wall, took a deep breath, and sighed inwardly.
However, the reinforcements from Qizhou never arrived, so he could only brace himself and begin to prepare for the next attack from the Cangzhou army.
Under the general's command, the defending troops began a tense but orderly defensive preparation.
A rotation system was implemented, allowing some soldiers to rest while others remained on the city walls.
The city walls were reinforced and improved, and the number of arrow towers and catapults was increased, enhancing the defensive capabilities.
Meanwhile, some soldiers skilled in archery and throwing were positioned at key locations on the city walls to prepare for enemy attacks.