SWDnovel Chapter 1476 The City Falls (Due to rushing to write a long chapter with 7 characters, it's lat
Chapter 1476 The City Falls (Due to rushing to write a long chapter with 7 characters, it's lat
Chapter 1476 The City Falls (A long chapter of 7,000 words, so it's late)
Since the beginning of August, border reports have been drifting into the Xiangping General's residence like autumn leaves:
Mu Yan, the leader of the Xianbei Buyao tribe, led his cavalry into Changli, where they kidnapped people and looted their grain.
King Goguryeo personally led 5,000 cavalry to attack Xi'an Ping, while General Gongsun Mo held the city and defended it to the death.
The Sanhan Byeonhan tribe attacked the southern border of Daifang Commandery, but were repelled by Wang Jian, the governor of Daifang.
Until the end of August, the Xianbei remained lingering in Changli, the Goguryeo besieged the city, and the Three Hans scattered and raided the coast.
Gongsun Xiu reviewed the battle reports daily, his expression remaining unchanged.
Even then, he still didn't think it was a big deal.
Every autumn, there are battles on the Liaodong border.
Those barbarians are truly like mosquitoes and flies, impossible to drive away or kill, always ready to swoop down and suck blood whenever they get the chance.
Although the remonstrating official Lun Cheng had expressed his concern, saying, "Your Majesty, the simultaneous launch of three campaigns this year is too much of a coincidence..."
But Gongsun Xiu waved his hand to interrupt him:
"The grasslands withered, Goguryeo suffered from food shortages, the Three Hans were envious, and being desperate for resources, they naturally wanted to plunder. What coincidence could there be?"
In his eyes, this was nothing more than a "routine plunder" that Liaodong had to deal with every autumn.
Therefore, troops were mobilized as usual:
He ordered Gongsun Mo to defend Xi'an to the death.
Wang Jian was ordered to hold fast to Daifang.
General Wei was ordered to humbly strengthen the defenses of Xiangping City.
He ordered General Zhang to lead 3,000 cavalry to patrol western Liao and drive away the Xianbei.
Then one day in September, a piercing scream came from outside the door:
"Report! Tajin...is lost!"
A messenger covered in blood collapsed to the ground:
"Three days ago... the Wei navy launched a surprise attack on Tajin with more than a hundred warships. The other armies were caught off guard and the ferry was captured by the Wei army!"
Gongsun Xiu's mind went blank: "What?!"
But then, anger overwhelmed fear:
"Where is Liu Yi? What is he good for?! How could he have lost Tajin so easily?"
"...The general's whereabouts are unknown..."
"You scoundrel!" He kicked over the table, scattering writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones all over the floor. "Issue the order! Exterminate Liu Yi's entire clan! Imprison all Liu family members in Xiangping!"
However, at this time, the main force of the Liaodong army was in other directions, and there was no time to return to defend against the Wei army coming from the south.
Bad news soon followed, shattering Gongsun Xiu's last shred of hope:
"Your Majesty, something terrible has happened! The Wei army has divided its forces from Tajin to attack Wenxian and Pingguo..."
"Wen County was captured by the Wei army from the sea, and Jia Yi, the garrison commander of Pingguo, surrendered to Wei!"
Jia Yi was a member of Jia Fan's clan. In his early years, Gongsun Xiu's father, Gongsun Yuan, wanted to rebel against Wei. His subordinate, Jia Fan, advised him against it and was later killed by Gongsun Yuan.
However, the Jia family was a well-known and powerful clan in Liaodong. After Gongsun Xiu took over Liaodong, he reinstated the Jia family in order to appease and win over the people.
did not expect……
"The Jia family! The Jia family! They should have been exterminated from the start, leaving no survivors!"
Gongsun Xiu flew into a rage, drew his sword, and slashed wildly at the table. "Order the entire city to search for and arrest every member of the Jia clan! Leave no one alive!"
Half an hour later, Gongsun Xiu received a report:
"Your Majesty... the Jia family mansion is now empty. According to the neighbors, two months ago, the Jia family moved out of Xiangping with their entire clan under the pretext of 'returning to their hometown to pay respects to their ancestors,' and their whereabouts are unknown."
"Two months ago..." Gongsun Xiu's hand holding the sword trembled.
If he still doesn't understand what's going on, he doesn't deserve to be in this position.
The Jia clan migrated in July, the Goguryeo, Xianbei, and Three Han states invaded in August, and the Wei army crossed the sea in September. This was no coincidence!
"Sima Zhao!"
Gongsun Xiu gritted his teeth.
With the loss of the three cities in Liaonan, Xiangping was directly exposed to the Wei army's offensive.
But at this moment, he was not in the mood to scold Sima Zhao, because he had more urgent matters to attend to.
"Tian family! Go check if any members of the Tian family are still alive!"
The Tian family was a powerful clan in Liaodong for a century.
When Du first arrived in Liaodong, he killed more than a hundred people, including the famous scholar Tian Shao, causing the whole county to tremble with fear.
Du refers to Gongsun Du, who was also Gongsun Xiu's great-grandfather.
Most importantly, the deputy commander of Tatsu was a member of the Tian clan.
Soon, the rewards came:
"Only old servants remain at the main residence of the Tian family; the main clan members... have all left the city."
"Damn it!"
Enraged, Gongsun Xiu swung his sword at a beam, sending wood chips flying as the blade penetrated three inches into the wood.
But after his outburst of rage, Gongsun Xiu only felt a chill run down his spine.
The depth of his opponent's scheme and the ruthlessness of their actions sent chills down his spine.
"A conspiracy between insiders and outsiders, could it be that they intend to destroy the Gongsun family?"
"Guards! Summon the Grand Counselor and General Wei to discuss matters!"
Soon, the Grand Counselor Lun Cheng and General Wei Bi Shun arrived with solemn expressions.
Clearly, they had gotten wind of something.
Inside the study, Gongsun Xiu sat with his hand on his sword, his right hand unconsciously stroking the dragon pattern on the hilt. The light from the charcoal brazier illuminated his gloomy and slightly tired face.
"Gentlemen," Gongsun Xiu said, his voice hoarse, "the latest battle report has just come back from the front. The Wei army has captured Pingguo in Wen County, and all three cities in Liaonan have been lost."
His bloodshot eyes swept over the two men. "Moreover... the Jia family has defected from the city, and the Tian family is in hiding."
Dead silence.
Beishun spoke first: "Your Majesty, the most urgent task is to defend Xiangping. There are still 10,000 garrison troops in the city. We should immediately summon General Zhang to lead the cavalry back to defend it."
"Snow falls in Liaodong in October. Even if the Wei army does not retreat in winter, they will inevitably run out of food and supplies by next spring and will have to withdraw."
It was a conventional and well-considered move, reflecting a mature and strategic approach to governing the country.
Liaodong is far from the Central Plains. In particular, if the Wei Kingdom crossed the sea and managed to capture the three cities in southern Liaodong by chance, as long as Xiangping is not lost, it would be enough to keep them all in southern Liaodong.
If this continues for too long, the enemy will inevitably run out of supplies and will have no choice but to retreat.
Gongsun Xiu nodded slightly, seemingly agreeing with Beishun's opinion, then turned to Luncheng and asked:
"Lun Jun, what do you think?"
The remonstrating official Lun Cheng slowly rose, bowed deeply to Gongsun Xiu, and said, "General Wei's words are indeed wise and insightful."
"However, I believe that the State of Wei, with its lands of Qing and Xu, is not thinking of resisting the army of the State of Han, but instead crossing the sea to come here. I am afraid that it has something to rely on, and we must be on guard."
A glint flashed in Gongsun Xiu's eyes: "What Lord Lun said makes some sense."
Then, with a pained expression, he said, "But now, my Liaodong forces are limited, and we are surrounded by enemies on all sides. Even if we want to defend, how can we defend?"
Lun Cheng slowly said, "Your Majesty, although Liaodong is currently struggling to hold on on its own, it is not impossible to break the deadlock by borrowing strength."
"Whose help are we borrowing?" Gongsun Xiu narrowed his eyes.
"The Han Kingdom," Lun Cheng uttered two words, "We must quickly send a secret envoy to Chang'an to submit to the Han Kingdom and request its assistance!"
He stared at Lun Cheng with a submissive gaze.
Gongsun Xiu, on the other hand, remained seated and asked, "Does Lord Lun think this is feasible?"
"Your Majesty, Emperor Liu Shan of Han is known for his benevolence, and Grand Marshal Feng Yong is a man of great talent and ambition. They would certainly not want to see Wei gain Liaodong and prolong their lives. If Han sends troops, the Wei army will surely retreat."
Gongsun Xiu stared at him: "What if the Han state makes demands? For example, sending a son to the court as a hostage?"
Lun Cheng gritted his teeth, knelt down and kowtowed: "To exchange one son for peace in Liaodong is not necessarily..."
"Enough!" Gongsun Xiu suddenly roared.
The air in the study seemed to freeze.
Gongsun Xiu stared at Lun Cheng, his eyes bloodshot:
“Luncheng, your father advised the late king not to rebel against Wei, saying, ‘Wei is weak but not dead.’”
(Before Gongsun Yuan rebelled against Wei, Jia Fan, Lun Zhi, and others repeatedly tried to dissuade him, but were ultimately executed by Gongsun Yuan for speaking frankly.)
"Today, you advised me to submit to the Han Dynasty, saying that 'the Han Dynasty will surely send troops to rescue me.'"
"Why do you two, father and son, always advise others to bow their heads?"
Lun Cheng opened his mouth: "Your Majesty, times have changed..."
"Times have changed?" Gongsun Xiu laughed loudly, his laughter chillingly mournful.
"Back then, Jia Fan persuaded you to surrender, and your father agreed; now that the Jia family has defected, you're urging me to submit—did your Lun family already decide to become traitors?!"
"Your Majesty!" Lun Cheng was startled and quickly kowtowed, "Your subject has absolutely no such intention! Your subject is acting for the sake of Liaodong..."
"For Liaodong?" Gongsun Xiu suddenly stepped forward and kicked Lun Cheng to the ground.
Where were you when the Jia family defected? Where were you when the Tian family went into hiding?
"Now that the southern front has collapsed, you jump out and advise me to submit to you—did you already know that the Jia family was going to rebel?!"
"I do not know! I..."
"You didn't know?" Gongsun Xiu drew his sword, the tip pressed against Lun Cheng's throat. "Your father and Jia Fan were old friends. The entire Jia family moved away two months ago. How could you not know?"
"Did your Lun clan also send your clansmen away a long time ago?"
Lun Cheng trembled all over and couldn't speak.
Seeing his reaction, Gongsun Xiu's last glimmer of hope vanished.
Silence is an admission.
"Good...good..." Gongsun Xiu nodded, his eyes blazing with killing intent. "You Lun clan are indeed in cahoots with the Jia clan, with hearts of wolves and the nature of jackals!"
"Your Majesty! I am willing to die to prove my innocence!" Lun Cheng suddenly raised his head and cried out hoarsely, "I only beg Your Majesty to spare the elderly and weak of the Lun family!"
"Let them go?" Gongsun Xiu recalled the days and nights since the Gongsun family took control of Liaodong, during which the powerful clans of Liaodong outwardly obeyed but inwardly harbored rebellious intentions.
(When Gongsun Du took control of Liaodong, he also adopted the same methods as Sun Ce, massacring local powerful clans.)
enough.
That's enough.
“Submissive.” Gongsun Xiu’s voice was icy.
"Your subordinate is here." He bowed his head humbly, not daring to look at Lun Cheng.
"Lun Cheng is a traitor who has colluded with the enemy and betrayed the country; his crime is unforgivable." Gongsun Xiu said each word clearly, "Drag him out and execute him."
"The entire Lun clan is imprisoned and awaiting trial. Anyone who makes any unusual moves will be killed without exception."
"Yes, sir!" Bi Shun waved his hand, and two guards stepped forward to lift Lun Cheng up.
Lun Cheng didn't struggle; he just looked at Gongsun Xiu and gave a bitter laugh.
"Your Majesty...you will regret this..."
"Liaodong...cannot be defended..."
"Drag away!"
Lun Cheng was dragged out of the study, and his screams quickly disappeared into the night.
A moment later, he humbly reported, "He has been killed."
Gongsun Xiu sat at the table, staring blankly at the spot where Lun Cheng had just kowtowed, and suddenly asked:
"Behave yourself, tell me, did I kill the wrong person?"
After a long silence, he said humbly, "Your Majesty, Lun Cheng may be innocent, but at this moment, it is better to kill the innocent than let the guilty go free."
"Better to kill the innocent than let the guilty go free..."
Gongsun Xiu muttered to himself, then suddenly burst into laughter:
"Yes! Yes! The late king was too soft-hearted back then, leaving the remnants of the Jia and Tian families alive, which led to this great disaster today!"
"Issue an order for martial law throughout the city! Anyone with kinship or ties to the Jia, Tian, or Lun families shall be imprisoned!"
Anyone who dares to surrender again will be executed on the spot!
"promise!"
The next day, news of Lun Cheng's execution spread throughout Xiangping, and the powerful families in the city were all in a state of panic.
Gongsun Xiu stood on the city wall, watching the sky gradually lighten in the east.
He recalled Lun Cheng's dying curse: "Liaodong...cannot be defended..."
"Can't hold on?" Gongsun Xiu gripped his sword hilt, his eyes contorted with rage. "Even if we can't hold on, we must hold on!"
"Even if I, Gongsun Xiu, die, I will die on the walls of Xiangping!"
A cold wind blew, and the "Gongsun" banner on the city wall fluttered in the wind.
On the distant horizon, the figures of Wei scouts could already be seen.
Within Xiangping City, how many of the more than ten thousand garrison soldiers had already harbored rebellious intentions?
Gongsun Xiu didn't know.
All he knew was that this battle had only just begun.
-
Meanwhile, in the Pingguo County government office, 120 li south of Xiangping, charcoal fires dispelled the chill of late autumn in Liaodong.
Commandant Wang Hai and General Sima Zhou of Andong sat facing each other, with a map of southern Liaoning spread out between them.
“General Sima,” Wang Hai pointed to the triangle formed by the three cities of Tajin, Wenxian, and Pingguo on the map:
"We have just captured these three places. Our soldiers need to rest and we need to stockpile food. Right now, the safest thing to do is to hold Liaonan and wait for the General's reinforcements and supplies to arrive."
Sima Zhou nodded, his expression solemn:
"Commander Wang is absolutely right. Although our army has 15,000 men, Xiangping is a fortified city, and Gongsun Xiu will surely defend it to the death."
"If we force an attack northward and end up stranded at the city gates, the consequences will be unimaginable once snow falls in Liaodong."
He pointed north and stopped at Xiangping:
"I have already sent out three scout teams to investigate the movements of the Xiangping garrison. If Gongsun Xiu dares to leave the city and head south, we will wait in comfort and engage him in open battle on the Liaonan Plain."
“If he holds firm and doesn’t come out…” Sima Zhou paused, “then we should strengthen the city’s defenses, stockpile grain and fodder, and get through this winter.”
Wang Hai grinned, revealing the cunning characteristic of pirates:
"Exactly! By occupying the three cities in southern Liaodong, we have a foothold in Liaodong. Gongsun Xiu now faces Goguryeo to the north, Xianbei to the west, and us to the south. He's more anxious than we are!"
Just as the two reached an agreement and prepared to defend the three cities, a scout suddenly came to report:
"Report——!"
"General! A convoy of about a hundred men is approaching from the southwest. They are carrying banners bearing the name of the Grand Marshal's Chief Clerk Jia and holding nine-pronged imperial staffs. They are already ten miles away!"
"Jia Chong?"
Sima Zhou suddenly stood up and exchanged a glance with Wang Hai, both seeing the surprise and doubt in each other's eyes.
"Arriving with imperial credentials..." Wang Hai's face darkened. "What is the General's intention?"
Half an hour later, Jia Chong entered the county government office.
He wore a purple robe and a jade belt, walked with ease, and the nine-pronged staff in his hand gleamed with a dark golden luster in the firelight.
Two people followed behind him.
An old man was hunched over and thin, but his eyes were as sharp as an eagle's.
A scholar, pale-faced, hung his head and remained silent.
"You two generals have worked hard." Jia Chong smiled, his voice slightly effeminate. "The three cities in Liaonan were taken in three days. I would like to congratulate you both in advance."
Sima Zhou and Wang Hai bowed and said, "We are sorry that Chief Secretary Jia has come in person."
Jia Chong walked straight to the main seat and solemnly placed the staff that could control the generals on the table.
"Enough of this small talk." He suppressed his smile and took out a roll of silk from his sleeve:
"The Grand General has issued a secret order: General Sima Zhou of Andong and Colonel Wang Hai of Zhenhai are to join forces and advance northward, with a deadline of one month, to capture Xiangping."
"Attack Xiangping in January?!" Wang Hai exclaimed in disbelief. "Chief Secretary Jia, this..."
Sima Zhou said urgently:
"Chief Secretary, please be wise! Although our army has captured southern Liaodong, our forces are insufficient, and our provisions will only last for half a month. Moreover, snow falls in Liaodong as early as October. If we advance north now, I fear..."
"What are you afraid of?" Jia Chong interrupted, his gaze sweeping over the two men. "Are you afraid of being bogged down under the city walls? Are you afraid of running out of food and your army collapsing?"
He stood up, stared at the two of them, and said:
"You two only know that it is safe to defend Liaonan, but you do not know that the General has no time to be safe!"
"The two-year non-attack agreement between Feng Yong of Han and Wu is almost halfway through. The internal strife in Wu will not last long either."
"Wei must seize the entire Liaodong region beforehand to establish its foundation!"
"Hold out in southern Liaoning? Wait for reinforcements? Wait for supplies?"
Jia Chong sneered:
"What awaits us may be the arrival of the Han state from Liaoxi, the recovery of the Wu state, or Gongsun Xiu's peace with Goguryeo, allowing him to launch a full-scale southward offensive."
"At that time, we will both be trapped like turtles in a jar!"
Wang Hai gritted his teeth: "But Xiangping is a high-lying city with deep moats, and we only have so few troops..."
"How could the General not know this? And how could he send his soldiers to their deaths?"
Jia Chong turned to the side and pointed to the old man behind him, "This is Ma Jun, also known as Ma Deheng, a censor. No one in the world can surpass his ingenuity."
Ma Jun tremblingly cupped his hands, his stammering yet clear: "I...I have...met the General."
Jia Chong then pointed to the scholar: "This one is Yang Yi, the military advisor, also known as Lord Yang Wei. He came from the Han state to join our Great Wei fifteen years ago."
"The Grand Tutor cherished his talent and kept him secretly by his side to advise on confidential matters."
Did they flee from the Han state to seek refuge with the Wei state?
Wang Hai looked at Yang Yi in astonishment.
Was this person perhaps having a fit of hysteria back then? Why would he defect to Wei for no reason?
Yang Yi slowly raised her head.
It was a face etched by time, with wrinkles like withered tree bark, age spots like withered leaves, deep eye bags, and cloudy eyes.
"This old man... greets the two generals."
Yang Yi spoke, his voice hoarse and rough, carrying the stagnation of someone who hadn't spoken in a long time.
When cupping one's hands in a respectful gesture, the movement is slow.
Sima Zhou looked at the two men with suspicion. His elder brother had sent Jia Gonglu with these two old men... Could they help him take Xiangping?
As if sensing their confusion, Jia Chong smiled slightly:
"When Military Advisor Yang came to join us from the Han Kingdom, he brought with him a secret blueprint from the Han Kingdom, which was the blueprint for making stone cannons."
"A stone cannon?!" Sima Zhou exclaimed in disbelief. "You mean, that stone cannon?"
"Indeed. This weapon was personally created by Feng Yong, the Grand Marshal of the Han Kingdom. It has a range of 350 paces and can launch stone projectiles weighing 200 jin. It can blast down the city wall of Xiangping in five days!"
Wang Hai's eyes widened: "Three hundred and fifty paces?! The defenders' crossbows can't even reach that!"
"Exactly." Jia Chong nodded. "After obtaining this blueprint, the Grand Tutor secretly trained 500 craftsmen and 3,000 soldiers, enduring many years of hardship, all for this day!"
"The stone cannon battalion has arrived at Tajin with me, consisting of thirty large cannons, fifty medium cannons, and thirty thousand stone cannonballs."
"Mr. Ma has made improvements, which have greatly reduced losses and halved the number of malfunctions."
He looked at Sima Zhou: "Why do you think the General chose to cross the sea in September? Why did he simultaneously provoke the Xianbei, Goguryeo, and the Three Hans?"
"It's precisely to force Gongsun Xiu to divide his forces, leaving Xiangping vulnerable, and giving this weapon a chance to deliver a fatal blow!"
Wang Hai turned to Yang Yi, his gaze suspicious: "Military Advisor Yang, is your weapon... really that powerful?"
He lived at sea for a long time, and although he occasionally heard about things in the Central Plains, most of them were rumors and absurdities, and not to be believed.
Yang Yi looked up, a complex expression flashing in her eyes:
"This weapon... was indeed created by Feng Yong. When he attacked the city, it terrified the defending troops, and tens of thousands of soldiers collapsed without a fight."
He paused, his voice even lower: "But this device consumes a huge amount of materials, takes a long time to assemble, and has extremely high requirements for the foundation, if..."
"It's been, it's been improved!" Ma Jun suddenly exclaimed, stammering but excited, "The foundation... added iron plates... tamped down... no worries!"
His eyes shone with an almost fanatical light; he had waited far too long for this day.
Jia Chong said calmly, "Mr. Ma has devoted his heart and soul to this instrument, and the General has also provided the full support of the nation."
He turned to Yang Yi and asked, "Military Advisor Yang, do you think this device still has any flaws?"
Yang Yi was startled and quickly said, "It's...it has no weaknesses. After Mr. Ma's improvements, it's practically perfect."
Jia Chong stared at him, then suddenly laughed: "That would be for the best."
“Now everything is ready—” His gaze swept over Wang Hai and Sima Zhou, “only the two of you are missing to lead the troops north.”
He withdrew his gaze from the two men and turned it to the map on the table, which surprisingly provided detailed explanations of the advantages and disadvantages of each gate of Xiangping City.
This was naturally due to the efforts of powerful clans like the Tian family.
"Gongsun Xiu was unaware of the existence of this weapon and had no targeted defense. The Xiangping city wall is mostly rammed earth, and if bombarded with concentrated catapults, it will collapse in ten days at most."
"With the city walls collapsed, our elite troops took advantage of the chaos to break in. The one-month deadline is not an exaggeration."
Wang Hai remained silent for a long time, then suddenly asked, "What if... what if the city hadn't fallen before the snow?"
A cold glint flashed in Jia Chong's eyes: "Then let's break through the city before the snow falls!"
"The General has ordered Qing and Xu provinces to transport grain at full speed, and subsequent grain ships will arrive every five days."
"In this battle, there is no turning back—because the army has no way to retreat!"
Wang Hai stared at the map, then suddenly grinned, his eyes filled with ruthlessness and madness:
"Chief Secretary Jia, attacking Xiangping is fine, but I have a condition."
"speak."
"After the city falls, I want 30% of the treasures in Xiangping's treasury."
“And,” a greedy glint flashed in his eyes, “I can choose any of Gongsun Xiu’s concubines.”
Jia Chong gave Wang Hai a deep look: "Alright. But you must personally lead your troops as the vanguard and be the first to scale the city walls."
"Deal!" Wang Hai slammed his fist on the table. "I've spent half my life robbing ships, but I've never managed to rob a royal city! Let's fucking get him!"
Sima Zhou looked at the two men and knew that the situation was settled, so he could only clasp his hands and say, "This humble general... obeys."
The following day, the drums sounded as the Wei army assembled at their camp.
Jia Chong, holding the imperial insignia, ascended the platform and publicly announced: "The Grand General commands: Attack Xiangping immediately!"
"Is General Sima Zhou of Andong and Colonel Wang Hai of Zhenhai to lead an army of 20,000 and advance north immediately!"
"The catapult battalion will advance with the army and set up camp outside Xiangping City. Within three days, a general offensive will be launched!"
"Anyone who fears battle and refuses to advance—beheaded! Anyone who delays military operations—beheaded! Anyone who colludes with the enemy and leaks secrets—their entire family will be exterminated!"
The soldiers below the stage stood in solemn silence.
Wang Hai licked his lips, his eyes flashing with a bloodthirsty light.
Sima Zhou gripped the hilt of his sword tightly, his palms sweating.
Yang Yi, standing in the shadows behind Jia Chong, gazed westward, with only one thought in his mind:
"Feng Yong, when you created this artifact, did you ever imagine that it would, through my hands, expand the territory of the Great Wei?"
"Ridiculous, isn't it? I'm going to make it a joke, and who made me a joke too..."
-
Liaodong Records:
On the 28th day of the ninth month of the fourteenth year of Yanxi, the Wei army arrived at Xiangping.
General Sima Zhou of Andong led 15,000 infantry and cavalry, and arrayed them five li south of Xiangping City.
Commandant Wang Hai led the navy northward from Tajin and controlled the Taizi River waterway.
Grand Secretary Jia Chong, holding the imperial insignia, supervised the army and established camp on Shoushan Mountain, overlooking the entire city.
At that time, Xiangping was defended by more than 10,000 troops, and its food and provisions were sufficient for half a year.
When Gongsun Xiu of Liaodong heard that the Wei army had arrived, he climbed the city wall to observe the battle formation. He saw that the Wei army had not built siege ladders or prepared battering rams, but instead had built an earthen platform and erected a wooden frame three hundred paces away. He sneered at this, saying:
"Sima Zhao has run out of tricks. Does he intend to besiege the city to demoralize our army? What a fool's dream!"
Everyone around him laughed.
General Duwei frowned obsequiously: "Their formation is orderly; I fear they have a treacherous plan."
Gongsun Xiu did not heed his advice and ordered the entire army to hold their ground until the winter snow arrived.
On the third day of the tenth lunar month, the north wind was strong.
At Chen Shi (7-9 AM), the drums of the Wei camp sounded.
Thirty stone cannons were launched from the camp. Each cannon was three zhang tall, with a five-zhang long boom, and a weight box as large as a house. They were powered by ox sinew ropes.
Each cannon requires twenty strong soldiers to operate.
The Liaodong garrison climbed the city wall to observe, and were all puzzled.
The adjutant asked, "What is this?"
The old soldier replied, "It resembles a catapult, but it's enormous."
The crowd still didn't take it seriously.
At 3:45 AM, Jia Chong waved his command flag down.
The gunner shouted, "Fire!"
Thirty cannons fired simultaneously, the sound like the collapse of heaven and earth. The stone projectiles, each weighing two hundred pounds, whistled through the air like falling meteors, striking the western city wall directly.
boom--!
The rammed earth city wall was struck as if by lightning, bricks and stones flew everywhere, and dust billowed into the sky.
A section of the parapet collapsed, instantly turning several soldiers into mincemeat.
The city walls were deathly silent for three breaths.
Then, a scream erupted: "Sorcery! This is sorcery!"
The stone cannons fired day and night.
Fifty shells were fired each day, totaling 1,500 shells from thirty cannons, raining down on the city.
Three sections of the western wall of Xiangping collapsed, and the barbican towers were completely destroyed.
Where the stones fell, houses were reduced to dust, and people and horses were all shattered.
The defending soldiers had never seen or heard anything like it.
An old soldier, who had fought for thirty years, wept and said:
“In the past, when attacking cities, siege ladders swarmed like ants, and battering rams crashed into gates. Although it was a fierce battle, it was still something that could be resisted by human strength.”
"Now the Wei army has destroyed the city from 300 paces away. Bows and crossbows are no match for them, and rolling logs are useless. This is not a battle, but a massacre!"
On the fourth day, morale among the troops wavered.
The soldiers gathered at night and whispered among themselves, "This weapon is no ordinary man."
Some powerful clansmen secretly conspired to surrender the city gates.
On the fifth day, the subordinate general Gao Xian, guarding the collapsed site, saw his comrades being smashed into a bloody mist by stone projectiles. He laughed madly, then jumped off the city wall and died.
Upon seeing this, the soldiers lost all will to fight.
On the sixth day, at noon, the Wei army's artillery fire subsided slightly.
The garrison commander of the western city led his three hundred men down the city wall to surrender, tearfully pleading with Jia Chong: "I am willing to be the vanguard, but I beg to be spared death."
Jia Chong accepted it and ordered the surrendered soldiers to shout "surrender!"
More and more people on the city wall responded.
October 9th, night.
Gongsun Xiu knew the city was indefensible, so he summoned General Wei and wept, saying, "I have failed my ancestors' work and have perished because of this evil weapon!"
Gongsun Xiu humbly begged for protection to help him break through the encirclement, but Gongsun Xiu shook his head: "With Xiangping fallen, what will become of Liaodong? I shall die for the state."
That night, the Wei army launched a general offensive.
The bombardment by stone cannons continued, and Wang Hai led his elite troops to climb ladders to the collapsed section of the city wall.
The surrendered soldiers acted as guides and opened the west gate.
The Wei army surged in like a tide.
The defending troops had no will to fight; some abandoned their weapons and knelt on the ground, while others scattered and fled into the alleys, leaving them to be slaughtered.
He led his personal guards in street fighting, and died from exhaustion.
Gongsun Xiu, along with more than ten wives and concubines, gathered in the main hall of his mansion, piling up firewood and pouring oil on it.
When the fire started, the sound of stone cannons outside the city was still deafening.
After Gongsun Xiu paid homage at the ancestral temple in the north, he threw himself into the fire, and his wives and concubines all died with him.
On the tenth day of the tenth month, Xiangping fell.
Jia Chong sternly ordered the three armies: "Liaodong is the foundation upon which the General stands. Anyone who dares to plunder the people or rape women will be executed on the spot!"
He ordered Sima Zhou to lead troops to maintain order, accept surrendered soldiers, and comfort the wounded civilians.
However, Wang Hai's pirate gang was hard to change its old habits. One of his former subordinates, Zhao Meng, led a hundred men to rob wealthy households. When Jia Chong heard the news, he went to the camp in person, beheaded Zhao Meng in front of everyone, and hung his head on the city gate.
The three armies fell silent, and the looting ceased.
Many powerful clans in Liaodong surrendered and donated 100,000 bushels of grain.
Furthermore, the Liu family donated a thousand warhorses, and the Tian family donated countless amounts of gold and silk.
Although Xiangping was hit by artillery fire, three or four out of ten houses were damaged. Jia Chong ordered the government treasury to be opened to provide relief to the people and repair their houses.
He also released the surrendered soldiers, providing grain and seeds to those who wished to return to farming, and incorporating those who wished to join the army into the agricultural settlements.
A later historian, known as "Cao Mianzi," said:
The fall of Xiangping was not due to a lack of skill, but rather to the superiority of the weaponry.
Gongsun Du once ruled Liaodong for three generations, a total of fifty years.
The city was well-fortified and well-supplied, with 100,000 armored soldiers.
In the past, sieges were nothing more than using siege ladders and battering rams, with men and horses fighting each other. Even the bravest warriors would need ten days or more to conquer a city.
Now, Sima Zhao, with 20,000 soldiers and 30 cannons, conquered the city in ten days. Times have changed, and powerful weapons can alter destiny.
However, judging from Jia Chong's actions: he stopped the killing after breaking through the city, and brought peace to the people after gaining territory. Even though Wang Hai was arrogant and fierce, he was able to subdue him with the law.
This is not only due to the superior tools, but also to the far-sighted planning.
Sima Zhao wanted to establish his power base in Liaodong, so how could he allow his troops to slaughter and plunder, thus destroying his own foundation?
It is easy to gain territory, but difficult to hold it; it is easy to break through a city, but difficult to win over the hearts of its people.
Jia Chong knew that stopping the killings and pacifying the people was the true way to serve the Sima clan and build a nation.
Gongsun Xiu lamented on his deathbed, "Those who win by strategy are defeated by strategy." But did Sima Zhao gain Liaodong solely through strategy?
(End of this chapter)