SWDnovel Chapter 121 The Thunder Chariot is Successfully Developed
Chapter 121 The Thunder Chariot is Successfully Developed
"Report! Lü Bu, with Wei Xu as commander and Sun Ce as vanguard, has raised an army of 100,000 (claiming 200,000), and has already left Xiapi, heading towards Langya!"
The generals below the hall remained silent.
Eighty thousand against one hundred thousand, and Cao Cao is also lurking in the west.
Guo Jia placed a scroll in front of Yuan Tan:
"The people of Langya and Donglai have been relocated thirty li inland. The grain and fodder that could be harvested have been gathered, and the rest has been burned. Furthermore, as you instructed, the outpost town of Langya has been prepared with saltpeter and sulfur, and rotting animal carcasses have been dumped into the wells—a sure surprise for Lü Bu and his men!"
He paused. "However, this will only hold them off for a while. We must act quickly. If this drags on, the one in the west won't just stand by and do nothing."
Chen Qun frowned and said, "This battle will undoubtedly be extremely costly. If we had known this would happen, wouldn't it have been better to feign compliance with Lü Bu and temporarily avoid his attacks?"
Yuan Tan glanced at Chen Qun.
After arriving in Qingzhou, this kid spent his days tinkering with the Nine-Rank System and handling some government affairs, assisting Lu Su.
They're usually not very noticeable, but now they're suddenly jumping out and spouting nonsense.
Although it's hard to hear, it's the truth.
"Changwen is right," Yuan Tan admitted. "I underestimated Lü Bu's temper and overestimated our ability to handle multiple fronts. Provoking him was a risky move."
He stood up and walked to the huge map: "But it's too late for regrets now. This battle must be fought, and we must win."
He traced his finger across the southern part of Qingzhou: "If we win, we can preserve our foundation. If we lose, we will be doomed."
At this moment, Liu Ye, who had been listening quietly, suddenly stepped forward and reported:
"My lord, gentlemen. I have something to report that may help our army defeat the enemy."
All eyes turned to him.
Liu Ye had only been in Qingzhou for a short time when he was mainly in charge of the construction of machinery and equipment. He was usually taciturn.
"Is there any progress on the trebuchet we mentioned earlier?" Yuan Tan asked.
"Exactly!"
Liu Ye raised his voice a few decibels and took out a scroll of silk painting from his sleeve, carefully unfolding it on the side table.
"Since the Lord revealed the principles, Ye and the craftsmen of the Imperial Workshop have been working day and night to study and test the vehicle. Ten days ago, the first prototype was completed! After several test firings in the Western Hills outside the city, its power and capability far exceeded expectations!"
He pointed to the complex structure in the diagram:
"This vehicle is framed by massive logs, powered by sinew ropes, and triggered by iron hooks and wooden tips. It launches massive stones weighing hundreds of pounds as projectiles, capable of hurling them over three hundred paces! Upon impact, it makes a thunderous sound, capable of shattering wooden fortifications and cracking earthen walls. If projectiles weighing tens of pounds are used, the range is even greater, reaching over four hundred paces, and it can fire rapidly!"
A low murmur arose in the hall.
Three hundred steps, four hundred steps!
This is far beyond the range of ordinary crossbows, and even exceeds the range of most defensive ballistae!
"Is mass production possible? How long will it take?"
Yuan Tan asked the crucial question.
"able!"
Liu Ye affirmed.
"The key structural parts have been reinforced with iron components, making them durable. Ordinary carpenters can participate in the production with minimal training. The director of the workshop is currently working at full speed to expedite the process, and the wood, reinforcing steel, and iron components are all ready. If the raw materials are sufficient and the craftsmen are all available, mass production will begin soon! The first batch of twenty units can be delivered to Langya within half a month! Subsequently, at least thirty units can be produced each month!"
A glint of light flashed in Yuan Tan's eyes.
The Thunderbolt, a powerful siege engine that should have entered the historical stage several years later, was unexpectedly launched ahead of schedule thanks to my suggestion, and is about to be mass-produced!
Guo Jia strode to the map, examined it carefully, inquired about a few details, and then turned to Yuan Tan, saying:
"My lord, if this chariot is truly as Ziyang says, it is indeed a powerful weapon for defending the city! Placed atop Langya City, Lü Bu's army will be bombarded with stones before they even reach the city walls! Its siege ladders and battering rams can be destroyed from a distance! With this aid, Langya's chances of holding out will greatly increase, and we may be able to inflict heavy casualties on the enemy and delay them for much longer!"
Jia Xu stroked his beard and said:
"It can also intimidate the enemy. The power of thunder comes from beyond the heavens. The enemy, unaware of its power, will be filled with fear, and their morale will be crushed."
The atmosphere in the hall was instantly invigorated.
The previously somewhat subdued atmosphere of preparation was given a much-needed boost by this unexpected news.
Yuan Tan took a deep breath, suppressing his excitement. Weapons are important, but not decisive.
"Excellent! Ziyang has rendered a great service! All those in the Imperial Workshop will be richly rewarded! Focus on manufacturing trebuchets, prioritizing their supply to the front lines in Langya and Taishan! Skilled craftsmen will be selected to accompany the army to assemble, maintain, and train the soldiers in their use."
"Yes, sir!" Liu Ye excitedly accepted the order.
"Send orders to Zhao Yun and Zang Ba," Yuan Tan's voice deepened. "Langya City must be defended. Protect the civilians who haven't been evacuated yet, thoroughly check the city's household registration, and prevent spies from infiltrating."
"promise!"
"Furthermore," Yuan Tan added, "draft a proclamation and send it to all the prefectures and counties. It should read: 'Lü Bu harbors the traitor Sun Ce, secretly possesses the Imperial Seal of the State, and instead of serving his country, he turns against his own people, bringing suffering to the populace. I, Yuan Tan, uphold righteousness and will punish this traitor!'"
A manifesto is a knife; it kills without drawing blood. First, seize the moral high ground.
The generals successively received their orders and made deployments.
At this moment, Lou Ban, who had been staring silently at the corner of the map, suddenly stepped forward.
"My lord, I have a plan that may break this deadlock."
Yuan Tan looked at him and said, "Speak."
Lou Ban pointed to a pass in southern Xuzhou on the map:
"Xiaoguan. This is the throat of the supply route for Lü Bu's army heading north from Xiapi, and also a crucial point connecting Xuzhou and Huainan. Located in the rear, its defenses are bound to be lax."
He drew a large arc along the coast of Langya on the map, bypassing the eastern part of Xuzhou, and pointed directly at Xiaoguan:
"This humble general is willing to lead an elite light cavalry force, no more than a thousand men. We will sail south along the coast, land in an uninhabited area of Donghai County, then hunt by day and move by night, bypassing Xiapi, and on a long-distance raid, directly to Xiaoguan!"
A low gasp filled the room.
A long-distance raid, deep behind enemy lines, to attack key nodes!
This plan is too bold and too risky.
Guo Jia's eyes brightened slightly, then he frowned:
"This plan is risky. Traveling a thousand miles incognito will be difficult to supply and extremely easy to be exposed. Moreover, the walls of Xiaoguan are strong, and a thousand men attacking it would be unlikely to succeed. Even if they succeed, a thousand men will be isolated behind enemy lines, surrounded by enemies on all sides. How can they retreat? Of those who survive, less than one in ten will survive."
Lou Ban disagreed, saying:
"We won't attack the pass. We'll disguise ourselves as refugees or merchants and infiltrate the pass. Or we can bribe an inside agent to launch a night raid and seize the gate. Once we open the gate, burn their supplies, and destroy their passage, that's enough. After that, we'll disperse and sneak into the mountains, each heading north. As for life and death... in war, how can there be no deaths?"
He turned to Yuan Tan and knelt on one knee:
"This humble general is willing to go! If we can cut off Lü Bu's supply lines, his 100,000-strong army at the front will surely be thrown into chaos! The siege of Langya can be lifted!"
Yuan Tan looked at Lou Ban kneeling on the ground, then at the long arc on the map.
This brother-in-law is even bolder than I imagined.
However, I've used the sea raid route before.
How could Lü Bu not be on guard now?
However, on the other hand, the transport of supplies was a long and arduous process.
If Lü Bu really tries to be defensive at every turn, he'll probably be worn down and killed.
"Do you know how dangerous this is?" Yuan Tan said slowly. "Seas are stormy, land routes are heavily guarded, and you're surrounded by enemy forces. You might not even reach Xiaoguan Pass before your entire army is wiped out. Even if you do reach it and succeed, you might not be able to come back."
"This subordinate understands," Lou Ban said calmly, "but this is currently the fastest and most likely way to break the stalemate. With 30,000 against 100,000, even if we hold our ground, it will be a Pyrrhic victory and a protracted war. Cao Cao will not give us time."
Yuan Tan remained silent for a long time.
The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
How many people do you need?
"A thousand is enough. We need the best horses, the most resilient soldiers, skilled in riding and archery, able to endure hardship, and unafraid of death."
"Who will be the commander?"
"I will not take myself into my own hands."
Yuan Tan walked down the steps, came to Lou Ban, and helped him up.
A thousand elite cavalrymen! If they were all wiped out, I'd probably cry myself to death.
"A thousand men, I'll give you. Horses, bows and arrows, gold and silver—take whatever you want. Also, I'll appoint Sun Guan of the Taishan Army as your deputy, but there's one condition..."
He stared into Lou Ban's eyes.
"Come back alive. I'm going to celebrate your victory in Linzi."