Chapter 33: Once and for All

"Isn't this a bed-crossbow?" Liang Zan asked in confusion. "Why does the Commander call this thing a widow-maker?"

Chen Ying wore a bitter smile. "It's a bed-crossbow, but it's also a widow-maker. Anyone hit by its bolt is guaranteed to die without exception. If it's not a widow-maker, what is it?"

This bed-crossbow was no child's play; in ancient times, this thing was essentially artillery. Do you know how it is operated? You turn the windlass, then strike the trigger with a hammer, and its range can reach fifteen hundred meters! This was something the northern nomadic tribes could never have imagined.

During the Zhenzong era of the Northern Song Dynasty, the Liao army invaded, pushing straight to Shanzhou in central Hebei, pointing their sharp blades directly at Kaifeng. At that time, the Liao vanguard, Xiao Dalin (also known as Talang), renowned for his bravery, feared that the Song army's morale would soar and immediately led several thousand cavalry straight to the city walls, attempting to seize the northern city with a preemptive strike. While organizing a fierce assault, he reined in his horse on a high slope to observe the Song army's weaknesses. The Song army's morale was like a rainbow, and arrows fell like rain. The Liao formation gradually scattered, and Talang continuously ordered fierce assaults, directing a three-sided encirclement that slowly gained the initiative. However, by doing so, his surrounding scouts flew about in chaos, exposing his command position.

Xiao Dalin believed his position was beyond the range of bows and arrows, and with shield-bearers facing the Song army, he thought he was completely secure. As a result, dozens of Song crossbows fired simultaneously, and Xiao Dalin, mounted on the high slope, became the central target. The very first arrow struck Talang's warhorse directly, and moments later, another arrow hit his flank. Even as he threw his weapon to the ground in defiance, yet another arrow pierced the top of his helmet and shot out through one of his eyes. He instantly collapsed and died in the camp that very night, pierced by six arrows in total.

There was simply no defense against the bed-crossbow. No matter how heavy the shield, it could not withstand a single strike from a bed-crossbow. Ancient city walls were basically rammed together using steamed earth mixed with glutinous rice juice. Although not modern concrete, hammers could not even chip it, yet a bed-crossbow from five hundred paces away could shoot a foot deep into the wall.

"We cannot passively take a beating!" Knowing the terrifying power of the bed-crossbow all too well, Chen Ying immediately gave the order: "Men, immediately order Luo Shixin and Yugu Ni to lead the cavalry and destroy the enemy's bed-crossbows outside the city!"

No sooner had Chen Ying's command been issued than a piercing whistle tore through the air.

"Arrow rain!" Amidst the shrill sounds of broken air, several soldiers on the city ramparts were struck simultaneously, and even Liang Zan nearly got hit by accident.

Against the mounted archery of the nomadic tribes, the Han defenders still held the advantage in range. Unless the enemy disregarded casualties and threw themselves within range, enduring the baptism of arrows from the city walls, they had no way to suppress the defenders above.

However, although the number of crossbows under Liu Tong's command was not large—numbering at most two hundred or so—the ranges of both sides were virtually neck and neck, each with their own strengths. Arrows flew back and forth, locked in a fierce and evenly matched struggle for a time.

Yet, while both sides engaged in this exchange of crossbow fire, taking advantage of the city defenders being too preoccupied to suppress the foot of the wall, hundreds of Liang infantrymen carrying scaling ladders began to scale the ramparts. Simultaneously, dozens of Liang soldiers clutching dry firewood and carrying oil jars rushed toward the city gate tunnel.

The city gates of Lingzhou, like all others, were made of Tuomu wood wrapped in iron. A thin layer of iron plating could not withstand burning at all. If the enemy beneath the gate could not be driven away, the gate would be burned to ashes in half an hour at most.

Chen Ying gazed at the Liang troops outside the city with a cold sneer. The enemy general's siege strategy was not wrong; on the contrary, it was very methodical. However, he overlooked one point: Chen Ying defending Lingzhou was by no means incapable of sallying forth from the city. Chen Ying was equally unafraid of fighting the enemy in the open field.

Chen Ying pointed a finger at Fang Jiang涛, the East City defense brigade commander, and said, "You take over command. Fight however you see fit, and do as you wish!"

"Understood!" Whether Fang Jiangtao had watched too many theatrical plays or not, he actually shouted loudly, "This subordinate is willing to write a military pledge! If I fail to hold the city wall, I will bring my head to you!"

Chen Ying was amused by Fang Jiangtao. "Good, this Commander has high hopes for you!"

Fang Jiangtao's face flushed red with excitement. "So long as I live, the city lives!"

In truth, Chen Ying never expected that he would inadvertently forge the Great Tang's Iron Wall General. Years later, Fang Jiangtao defended Beiting City against a coalition of over one hundred thousand Western Turkic forces, stubbornly holding Beiting City for a full four months, earning him the title of Iron Wall General explicitly bestowed by an imperial decree from Emperor Taizong.

By the time Chen Ying descended the East City ramparts, Luo Shixin, Zhang Shigui, and Yugu Ni—summoned urgently by his command—had already led over four thousand lightly equipped cavalrymen standing at strict attention.

Especially after witnessing the devastating power of the lancer cavalry, Chen Ying had utilized the resources at hand to forge a new batch of hooked lances. At this point, Chen Ying already had five regiments of cavalry, and combined with the Turkic auxiliary cavalry under Yugu Ni's command, his cavalry force alone numbered over seven thousand strong.

Using captured warhorses, Chen Ying fully replenished the four depleted regiments of the Yueqi Cavalry and, utilizing the remnants of Guo Zihe's forces and surviving able-bodied men in Lingzhou, established the Lingwu Cavalry Regiment. All five cavalry regiments, totaling over fifteen hundred horsemen, were fully equipped with hooked lances. To increase the defensive capabilities of the cavalry, Chen Ying also replaced their gear with superior iron armor salvaged from captured armaments.

Prepare for battle.

Seeing Chen Ying arrive, Yugu Ni hurriedly flung himself flat onto the ground, performing three kowtows and nine prostrations before him. "My noble master, your humble servant is ready to trample every last bedbug outside the city into dust!"

Chen Ying waved a hand. "The time is not yet right. Keep your calm!"

"Not yet? Then when will it be?" Luo Shixin asked. "If we let these enemies outside the city run amok like this, our morale will take a blow!"

Zhang Shigui's eyes rolled as if he had already seen through Chen Ying's intentions.

Chen Ying stated, "Endure with sharp restraint. This time, this Commander intends to settle the matter once and for all and eliminate Liang Shidu, this bedbug. When we fight, we will fight to make them panic, fill them with dread, and flee at the mere sight of us. From then on, whenever they catch sight of my command banner, they will retreat thirty miles!"

"Does the Commander mean to severely cripple and batter Liang Shidu?" Luo Shixin asked dubiously.

"Indeed," Chen Ying sighed with emotion. "Nowadays, the situation under heaven is gradually clarifying. The Great Tang will inevitably defeat all the rival rebel kings and reunite the realm. With Duke Wei Li Mi and Jianghuai Commander Du Fuwei offering their surrender, the Great Tang now possesses the foundation and strength to contend with Wang Shichong for the Central Plains. At this critical juncture, we must cripple Liang Shidu so thoroughly that he lacks the strength and backing to meddle in our affairs!"

As the saying goes, where you sit determines what you see, and your perspective dictates your grand design.

If in the past Chen Ying's greatest wish was merely to settle in some small hamlet, take a few maiden handmaidens, and live the idyllic life of a farmer drinking spring water in the mountains, circumstances were fickle. Having been forced to this juncture by the tides of history, Chen Ying's state of mind had transformed; naturally, he was no longer content to be a minor landlord waiting to rot away in obscurity.

He wanted power, he wanted status, and he wanted beauties.

He needed to strive to attain the strength required to stage a counter-attack against Li Xiuning.

Piercing, miserable screams rang out one after another. With the suppression provided by the heavy crossbows of the Liang army outside, the enemy began their ant-like swarm assault on the city. Sensed victory close at hand, the Turkic forces that had originally been lurking in the shadows to ambush Lingzhou's cavalry also joined the siege formation.

The city gates had been roasted to scorching heat by the fires lit outside. Even standing a dozen paces away, Chen Ying could still feel the rolling waves of heat in the air.

Watching the city gates teeter on the verge of collapse, Chen Ying roared at the top of his lungs, "Soldiers, prepare to charge!"